Eduardo Stefani

Thought is the most perfect form of the human intelligence, the only being present on the planet with this capacity. It made us dominant, however it costs a high price, because the smarter we are, more dangerous we become.

Maybe thought is the result of the conscious and intelligence, with which we can synthesize all perceptions about all that exist around us, bringing the past and future together.

It is most important to analyze the influences that the thought suffers, including religious, political and economic aspects, because the ideas are not so original as we might imagine. The question is not related only to the freedom to think, because everybody thinks. The question is what we think and what influences our ideas are subjected to.

Analyzing these ideas we tend to conclude that we do not have the freedom that we imagined, because we are connected to a big cultural and historical legacy, leading our thoughts to a predictable result.

To escape from the predictable is an encounter with thoughts uncontaminated by reality, then freedom can be envisioned. As an example we can use the attempt to try another societies way of life. How, if today all of us are impregnated by capitalism. There is no doubt that it will be difficult to exercise our freedom.

Finally it is important to not confuse freedom to think with freedom of expression. Always there was freedom to think, because the ability of thought is the most intimate human characteristic, but sometimes thoughts cannot be expressed freely, because of some particular interests and influences.

The discussion here is the origin of thinking and how much free our thoughts are.

[], Eduardo Stefani – 16/03/2005

O amadurecimento na vida de um homem parece ocorrer lentamente e, segundo as feministas de plantão, em ritmo mais lento do que nas das mulheres. No meu caso, independente de ser homem, ocorreu de modo mais lento ainda, talvez pela minha estruturada organização intelectual de uma carreira tecnológica. Mas depois de superadas as limitações, comecei a descobrir um mundo do qual eu não tinha ideia.

Estou escrevendo estas linhas na noite do meu aniversário e mergulhado no furacão de uma viagem a trabalho a Santiago, no Chile. Depois de três horas escutando o castelhano chileno nas mesas a minha volta, com a alma hidratada por um delicioso Cabernet Sauvignon e observando atentamente os hábitos locais, comecei a ter lampejos inspiradores sobre o continente americano e as línguas que o nutrem.

Fico imaginando como seria se na minha infância eu tivesse recebido mais incentivo pelos interesses latino-americanos do que pelos europeus e norte-americanos. Nós, brasileiros, somos um povo que conhece o velho mundo e a sua história, porém quando falamos em América Latina, somos mal informados e carregados com preconceitos seculares.

Um fator que pode ter contribuído para isso e que me deixa em profunda reflexão é o fato de o Brasil ter uma barreira linguística com os irmãos da América Latina, como uma cordilheira imaginária separando dois mundos. Enquanto todos os irmãos se comunicam livremente na língua nativa espanhola e sem esforço, nós brasileiros precisamos recorrer a instrumentos de adaptação e improvisação da própria língua e de outrem também.

Se esse pedaço do continente tivesse a mesma língua, qual seria o nível de integração entre os povos? Será que teríamos mais livros na língua nativa do que em inglês, por exemplo? Por outro lado, será o destino do Brasil determinar um poder imperial com sua própria língua, digamos assim única, portuguesa, mas distante da portuguesa?

Somos de fato peculiares e basta uma viagem aos irmãos latinos para identificar tamanho distanciamento cultural com povos tão próximos. Se não fossem as similaridades coloniais e econômicas que nos aproximam, seríamos também distantes em espírito.

Penso que parece uma história de um amor impossível. De um lado há uma paixão que move a proximidade e integração, porém de outro a barreira linguística como a de um homem apaixonado e sem saber como dar o primeiro flerte. A frustração imediatamente toma conta e nos coloca no lugar de estranhos, pois precisamos primeiro aprender uma outra língua para nos comunicar com vizinhos que vivem há apenas duas ou três horas de voo.

Pode ser que meu objetivo pareça romântico, mas é a vontade impetuosa de uma nação se comunicar com seus vizinhos. Será que realmente teremos que impor a nossa língua aos outros com um poder colonial ou estaremos sempre tentando entender o que os vizinhos dizem naquela língua diferente.

De qualquer modo, devemos brindar a América Latina com suas belezas exuberantes, povos doces e promessas de futuros espetaculares. Se observarmos a qualidade e postura de nossos colonizadores, estamos em situação privilegiada. Espero não cometer exageros, mas em alguns setores até superiores.

Doce continente dividido por uma cordilheira lingüística, por favor, acorde e esqueça as rivalidades. Torne-se um único corpo e enfrente os leões do mundo. Pare de santificar o outro lado do mundo com seu crescimento megalomaníaco e olhe para si mesmo. Avante terra de praia, neve, desertos e vinhos.

Viva a América Latina!

Este texto foi inspirado e harmonizado com:

Veramonte
Cabernet Sauvignon
2009
Chile

[], Eduardo Stefani - 11/11/2009

During a beautiful party on a carioca winter night, between waiters serving champagne and the pleasant tinkles of glasses, I am alone for a few minutes so I decide to walk to the terrace. On the way, I pass some ladies with bright necklaces showing pictures to each other, about their travels around the world. On the other side, gentlemen looking concentrated on a small and nice portable computer, then they probably work with technology.

When I get to the terrace, I stand their with my glass, between sips, feeling the fresh air over my face. Effortlessly, I observe a constelation on the horizon, bright, with many disorganized lights and small color variations.

The difference is that there is life in that constelation, inteligent life, of people who are born, live and die. Sometimes die, even without waiting for it, in a quick and painless way. They do not know the cause, only live, with a small expectation and do not fear death, but fear life, which to them, is bitter and full of danger.

The beings who live in that constelation have experiencies which are hard to explain. There are curious and awkward situations, like reading looks. These people read the eyes of others and see silent prejudice, the pupil which dilates tells the entire truth which is systematically denied or forgotten.

The interesting thing is that parties are also happening in that constelation, however over there, there is the risk of being interrupted at any moment, by persons who represent the law or by persons who disrespect the law.

In the past there was a fear of an alien invasion, however today, there is some apprehension of beings from the constelation invading our world, through a pure revolt or some awareness about the situation they are living.

Everything is a celebration of ignorance, on one side by he who does not have the apropriate education and on the other side, by he who has everything, but contaminated by excessive radicalism, culminating in reactionary and impatient behavior. Sometimes I think they do not know that it is necessary to balance the forces in our world. We can not live alone and we are always influencing or being influenced.

After ten minutes have passed, I sense a sweet fragance enveloping the entire space. I am not a good connoisseur, but I think it is really embracing. I feel a light hand on my arm. When I turn, I see a pretty lady who calls me to the special moment of the party. With her nice eyes, I pay attention to see if she is looking with any prejudice. A few seconds later, I feel guilty, for how can a lady as beautiful as her behave like this. Between the flashing lights and the eyes of civilized beings, I enjoy the celebration, but I can not take the image of the constelation away.

[], Eduardo Stefani – 11/06/2005

In some reflexions about public behavior in a society, I made an analogy with rats behind the curtains of a theatre. They live in a community and they need to stay alive, however, the food is in the centre of the stage and not behind the curtains. It will need the courage of somebody to venture himself, to leave the confort, to run to the stage and find the food, with the risk of being caught and killed.

When he triumphs, everybody benefits and survives, with total dependence on he who put his life at risk to get the resouce so necessary for the common good. The brave will be a natural leader, respected and admired by all.

The problem with the above situation is that an imbalance can be generated at the moment when everybody knows, that there is no need for effort, as the situation will be solved by somebody else. It may take a little more, or less time, but the food will be available safely. Meanwhile, each one takes care of their own interests.

This analogy ilustrates the situation in which we live, because we are always living situations where a decision must be made and there is not the necessary mobilization for a rapid conclusion, because it is much more confortable to stay behind the curtains waiting for the solution, instead of putting ones head at risk and trying to solve the problem with the available resources.

A noble mission will be to find the democratic sense in this process, because we assume that the collectivity must decide and not wait for a generous soul to solve everything. The risk begins at this point, because when we wait for a single action from a person, we cannot guarantee that the prestige and the power obtained by the success will not enchant his mind and then result in single radical acts, accepted by everybody who is behind the curtains.

The decline of a society may begin when individual interests are placed above the collective, regardless of his participation or decision for the common good, because the individual focuses only on his personal territory and the rest somebody else will solve.

This behavior can be found in most everyday situations, including a leak from a faucet in a common area or the vote for the continuity or suspention of a process which affects everybody. All should participate and not just a small minority, worn out by the responsabilities, both collective and individual.

This discussion is beautiful, but in practice is terrible. Because of some national disappointments, the perception that politics is something dirty and dishonourable is common, thus with no guilty conscience, the omission is widespread. Sometimes we go through the same hole, but we do not have courage to take the phone and tell the responsable company the problem. The argument can be that it wont make any difference, but if everybody took the phone in a collective act, would the problem be solved ?

Quantity makes the difference in this case. Mobilization can move moutains. It will need a national conflict for everybody to leave the courtains to join a cause for the common good ?

The rats omission and sedentary behavior behind the curtains cause an imbalance. This lack of interest which we feel over time impacts negatively on the collective common good. When a rat stands up, the power takes his spirit and new problems appear until another one decides to adopt an iron hand and govern in his own way, then he knows the rest are numb and hungry.

[], Eduardo Stefani – 22/06/2005

Life is like a wink! We do not know where we came from or where we are going. In each epoch and culture, can be summed up in certain way. Take the vikings for instance, Valhala was the sacred place for them to walk to. Pride for them was to die holding a sword on a battle field. There was a great veneration for Odin and a supernatural fear regarding the dangers of the poisonous seas.

The Mays on the other hand, were much more advanced! They venerated many gods related to nature and unlike the barbarians, they acumulated a deep knowledge about architecture and mathematics, including the decimal and the value of zero.

Then lets analyse two civilization, the distinct way they lived. Each one with its own cultural values and convictions about life and religion.

Our mission now is to understand in short what life is nowdays and about what we are going to leave for the future generation to study about us. The challenge is to understand what we are doing on this globe, traveling thousands of kilometers per hour in space, on a colision course with something that we do not yet know and with everything moving under our feet. We live in the middle of intense activities on this rich planet which sometimes rebels and punishes us like a mother, shaking the gound and putting us in our place. There is a fear that our stay here will be only one more experience and in the end, one more lost civilization in the history books. However, if we have luck and capacity, we can break the cycle of comings and goings, their by keeping a civilization who meets now with a high intelectual level, however there are many moral and spirituals problem to be solved.

With a little analysis, we can see that we are one of numerous civilizations who have walked this planet. There are some huge clues, for instance that there were some civilizations with advanced technological levels, including nuclear weapons knowledge. For those who have doubts, there are Hindu writings named Mahabharata, which describes nuclear attackes in details, proving that we are not alone when we talk about weapons and possible they caused an annihilation, a risk we are also living with.

Sometimes I speculate if everything that is around us is like a tourist souvenir, closed, full of water, with a limited area and a controlled world. Also there is a possibility of everything being an exact reprodution of the allegory of the cave, by the illustrious Plato. The amazing thing is the suspicion that everything we have seen since we were born are shadows or maybe a limited space inside a souvernir, resting on a cupboard.

I think there is somebody watching us in the same way we watch a tourist souvenir, or we have something beyond shadows in order to feel the flavour and smell of life. But we might have some problems with our senses, limited by the environment, so maybe better to keep it in the realm of ideas.

Day to day life takes out all the flavour of the adventure which is to be here on this globe. Everybody knows to reach here is a challenge, possible only for a few people. Since our conception, we have lived in the middle of a lot of dificulties and we are here, carrying on our shoulders the weight of gravity. We have lived a lot of experiences and tribulations and even though we number in the billions, we are as fragile as ants, with a risk of being rubished with a celestial broom at any moment.

Another question, however more transcendental is if everything will be buried with us or if we will have the condition to use these experiences in other oportunities, in other words, in other existences, not necessarily on this Earth. Something like a big diary which will be consulted for us, each one with your own individuality.

The difference between human beings and other animals, is the capacity to question our destiny, as well as living the fact and looking from the inside. To take a look from outside is easier, but to be inside gives us a contaminated vision. The stars look at us in a way and we, here, look at ourselves in another way. Unfortunately we cannot talk to the stars, even if we could, we would talk to our past.

Everything we have lived gives us a brief taste. When it begins, it is near the end. For us here on this globe, everything costs a lot to go through, however, thinking in another way, it is a brief moment in time the measure of which we do not yet know.

This hole presentation has the objective to call apon us to reflect about everything that is around us and to do the best possible. To try to escape those day to day concerns which inprison us all, turning life into something a survivor course. Lets confess: Everybody has the feeling that it is not enough. Let us make good use of this brief flavor in time.

[], Eduardo Stefani – 24/06/2005