Action : Reaction
In the world of overemphasised powers, it is important to understand the difference between action and reaction.
1.
Action is creation, acting.
Response to action is reaction.
If action is light, then reaction is a shadow.
2.
Technology today, media, social networks… glorify our reactions. Reaction becomes more important than action: it doubles, divides, multiplies. It becomes more important than truth; many shadows can obscure light. Reaction is even required, it becomes mandatory. It is wrapped in easy availability and instant consumption.
Reaction is likes and dislikes sent to the ether. Reaction is a comment left online. Reaction is sharing of content. Reaction is the answer to an aggressively imposed question. Even if they were reasonable, with good intentions, they are just reactions.
Reaction is cheap. It doesn’t take much time, it doesn’t take effort.
Reaction is loved by ego. It gives an illusion of importance, of value. It can be addictive.
3.
Action can summon new actions. Reaction can only create new reactions. Reaction doesn’t exist without action. The reverse is not true.
Action requires you to be who you are, not different.
Action is always a step further. It is is always a move, no matter how small.
Action is difficult. It takes time, effort. It requires commitment. It’s looking for ideas. And a pinch of courage.
In doing so, something is always lost. It has a price.
The trick with action is that you can only make a few. You will miss others. And that’s okay.
4.
Technology today, media, social networks… glorify reaction. Under the pretext of the lack of time, supported by the fear of missing out, and the mass manufacture of sources, reactions overwhelm and become almost the only content consumed.
Hundreds of emojis. Drama. Stock photos. Marketing. Influencers. An infusion of artificial value of triviality.
The focus is on generating content. A lot of nothing worths more than one something. Reaction is a new currency, its value is determined exclusively by volume.
Technology today, media, social networks… are demanding reaction more and more aggressively.
Reaction is any naively adopted information. It is the truth at face value. Reaction is a belief with no ground. The power of words has been forgotten: those with no weight are easily created, and it’s even easier to adopt others’. One uses their right to speech, just because they can, not because there is anything to say. It is harder to admit that one doesn’t know than that there is nothing to say.
We forgot to search because we get served. We forgot to get lost because we are guided. We forgot our value without sharing it.
5.
Reaction means fighting AGAINST something.
Action means fighting FOR something.