HAVANA, Cuba.- A friend sent me a short article that appeared in the magazine Nature referring to the dangers that technological advances bring to the development of human thought and attitude. According to the publication, there is a process of continuity, that is, we continue to “go around in circles with the same ideas and concepts, without anything essential changing in our understanding of things.”
The article refers to the last book of the late American scientist Carl Sagan, The world and its demons, where he pointed out, among other things, that “the introduction of high technology will, in the face of saturation of empty content, cause societies to lose their ability to establish priorities, or to question with arguments those who exercise authority.”
It is worth relating this idea of Carl Sagan to the Cuban situation.
Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, a few days ago, in an interview conducted in Iran by Hispan TV, He assured that in five years there will be a much more favorable situation in the country without renouncing socialism.
Marrero’s claim is questionable: the socialist system has proven to be more than inefficient in dealing with the country’s problems, particularly in the economy.
According to official information and data, we should currently have a more favourable situation in terms of food production and prices, but the reality is quite the opposite.
The electro-energy situation The country is constantly instable. Apart from the fuel shortage, the plants that generate its energy are no longer capable of operating for too long. The repairs carried out are only temporary relief: power cuts are constant.
He transport This is another of the major existing drawbacks. Added to this is the deterioration of health and education.
Production is not increasing, among other reasons, due to the lack of labor due to discouraging salaries that are not enough to cover the most basic needs, and the unstoppable emigration, especially of young people.
The State recognizes that there is a great population aging. Older people are the most affected by the relationship between prices and pensions and salaries. They do not have enough money to eat poorly, and their situation is terrifying.
To survive, one must “invent,” a word with a very particular meaning in Cuba that is not recognized by the Spanish Academy. Everyone sells what they can.even things collected in garbage dumps. Some, in order to survive the month, are forced to sell a part of the meager quota they receive from the Supply Book. And all this is always illegal and overpriced.
The Cuban government’s rhetoric is empty in the face of existing realities. After 65 years of Revolution and socialism, there are more and more problems and shortages, and the population believes less in the leaders’ promises, which blatantly contradict reality. In a totalitarian regime, there is no one to question the leadership to modify its procedures.
It is not enough to declare that we need to change our mentality and our way of doing things and leading. Obviously, this needs to be put into practice.
To say that we will have to wait five more years to achieve improvement is mind-boggling. How many people will be able to hold out (I prefer to say endure) that long to achieve such improvement?
