Like it or not, we are all "part of the system". This entity surrounds us with its clean walls and pillars, guarding and sustaining our sense of stability and control. It provides safety and comfort to those who are lucky enough to fit in its molds. It regulates the use of public and private spaces, standardizes acceptable behaviors and costumes, invest every resource necessary to maintain order and propagate the illusion of individual freedom. But even though we're led to believe that there is a natural order to be followed, only few of us urban creatures comfortably fit in the immaculate shells of social conformity.
Under the homogeneity of our social selves no one is like each other, and eventually the individual expressions of discontentment start oozing from our armors to turn visible among the crowd: weirdos, foreigners, rebels, “Asis”, queers, simply troopers out of order. The fact is that differences play a part on how societies develop. And there are many other forces besides “order” influencing the way we relate to each other (and to the spaces around us).
The plurality of our thoughts, beliefs, views and voices make urban expressions diverse in form and content. Exposing our deviant aspects creates confrontation, but also social bonding, balancing the forces of individuality and community spirit. Visibility lead to dialogue, empathy, compassion. Without all that, all we have left is exclusion.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, someone has been told that we are much more than crude matter. We are Luminous Beings. So may the force be with those who dare to scratch the walls of the system, break formation and unmask the complexities of being human.
