To be or not to be?

To be or not to be? That is the question—and it has never felt more urgent.

The destruction of the rules that once held the world order together became painfully real with the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This terrible moment did not fall from the sky; it was brought about by all of us — by our carelessness, fear, and willingness to look away from the growing ignorance: local military clashes, terrorist attacks, short-term border raids; a constant stream of populism and disinformation; a decline in civic engagement so profound that only about thirty percent of eligible voters were electing officials and presidents.

Modern political madness toys with our lives and destinies, exploiting our weaknesses, our anxieties and our irresponsibility. We have narrowed the meaning of survival until it often reads as nothing more than money and influence. The quality of life is too often judged by the number of material goods we own, or by our skill at escaping reality. We are ready to accept any nonsense from the mouths of politicians or businessmen if it distracts us from real problems and from the sober search for reason in our common life.

History, stained with the blood of millions and a catalogue of human vices, haunts us still—and too often it is used to inflame hatred rather than to teach restraint. Voices of common sense go unheard, and those who profit from conflict grow richer on the noise. We sit as television viewers and watch how the carelessness of our leaders—politicians and businessmen—continues to astonish us with its stupidity and brutality.

We call egoism “freedom” and cowardice “peace.”

A culture that prizes fragmentation—where separatism is marketed as independence—widens the chasm between people and normalizes decisions that push us into a rut of indifference and impotence. Yet even in this menagerie of ignorance there are beacons of responsibility. The European Union, imperfect as it is, has been among those standing for international law, for social justice, and for the fight against corruption. To ignore that is to blind oneself willfully or to cheer for those who profit from chaos.

Why do autocratic models—whether the crowned Tsar or the omnipotent President—retain their seduction? They persist because social illiteracy and a sense of inferiority find fertile ground in broken families, poor education, and public mental poverty. When people are taught obedience rather than judgment, they pass on a poverty of mind to the next generation. The rise of right-wing populism is often less a mystery than the predictable harvest of misinformation, illiteracy and the masses’ susceptibility to venality. Swindlers in power—backed and nurtured by authoritarian China and Russia patrons seeking influence—draw fragile democracies and shaky economies into their orbit, bribing voters with promises and threats. Our passivity makes their work easy.

So again: to be or not to be? Each of us must ask—and answer—that question for ourselves. Decide where you stand in your family, in your community, in the wider world. Self-preservation is tied to participation; genuine development depends on the steady work of fighting ignorance and committing to lifelong education. We must learn responsibility not because it pays in cash, but because it gives meaning to existence.

If we surrender to spectacle, cynicism, and the comfort of inaction, we will lose what makes life worth living—dignity, truth, and the possibility of a shared future. The choice is ours. Let us not evade it.

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) 

Author: Vlad Shapran

My life is a story about continuous education, which makes a person's life meaningful and useful.