Attrited Roads

Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road. 

Dag Hammarskjöld

Hammarskjöld was according to president Kennedy ‘the greatest statesman of our century’.

The industry needs obedient labour with applied intelligence to the received order- not more, not less. According to this necessity the education system prepared adequate workers. However, the industry on one hand began to robotise itself and on the other it started shifting into emerging markets.

Our contemporary society of thought based on communications technology doesn’t need obedient labourers anymore- maybe still loyal soldiers- it needs individuals with ideas. The problem is that our education system continues forming such compliant workers. For the industry it’s essential that no error is committed and that’s how the young are trained: errors lead to failure, deviations towards expulsions.

This means that we turn to our job at this point in time without applying the risk of having new ideas, with fear of stepping on new grounds. With fear to decide outside the attrited roads. 

Initially published in Spanish for EQUANIMA 29/03/12

Translated by Marina Carbó

Picture: Rosa Mascarell "Simbiosis" (fragment) 

Gold, thread and egg tempera on panel