The blind, the plastic, the paper and the "truth"

In the differences of opinion, learning, empathy, and tolerance arise. This is especially true when the topic is controversial, as in fact is such the "sustainability".

If we listen to a paper salesman, it is very likely that he will say that his material is an universal panacea.

If, on the other hand, we talk to the plastics salesman, he will stress the importance of his product for the preservation of life, for example.

If you listen to an environmental activist, he will possibly say that plastic is a big villain that needs to be defeated immediately.

A waste picker might say that neither paper nor plastic puts food on the table as aluminum cans do.

An elementary school teacher can point out that environmental education and awareness of young people is the priority, regardless of the material.

Workers in a paper and plastic industry will eventually agree that both materials are a blessing since they are the livelihood of their families.

If we could understand what marine animals say, suffocating in the midst of tons of plastic, it is likely that we identify a great, loud lament.

For a large part of the populations and animals that suffer from a lack of water, a glimpse of the quantities of water needed for the production of pulp and paper could sound offensive.

Certain politicians, at different times, would say to entrepreneurs of the thermoplastic and pulp and paper industry that it is necessary to regulate, deregulate, create import barriers to "protect the interests" of these entrepreneurs, or open the doors to the world, in favor of consumers.

While a doctor is removing surgical instruments from sterile packaging in one room, in the other room a patient may be breathing thanks to a device basically made of plastic.

Certain issues are like an old Indian and Jain parable (Andhgajanyāyah), which addresses the multiple nature of truth and which I reproduce below:

"A prince once called into his palace a group of people who were born blind and put them in front of an elephant. Each another of them was led to feel a part of the elephant: one the belly, another the tail, another the ear, another the trunk and the last one the legs. After a few minutes, the prince asked each individual what would likely be the object handled.

The one who had palpated the belly said, the elephant was like a huge pot. The one who had palpated the tail up to the hairs at the end of the tail disagreed and said the elephant looked more like a broom. "None of this", interrupted the one who had palpated elephant′s ear. "If anything looks like, it is a big open folding hand fan". The one who had palpated the trunk laughed and interfered: “All of you are wrong about! The elephant has the shape and flexibility of a corrugated water hose...". "Not at all", replied the one who had palpated the leg, "he is round like a big hose, but there are no corrugations or flexibility, he is rigid like a pillar...". The blind got into a never-ending argument, each wanting to prove the others were wrong, and that the right was what he said.

Evidently, each one relied on his own experience and could not understand how others could say what they said.

The prince let them talk to see if they could come to an agreement, but when he realized that they were unable to accept that others might have had other experiences, he ordered them to shut up. "The elephant is all that you talked about," he explained. " All that each of you has understood is only a part of the elephant. You must not deny what others have understood. You should bring together the experiences of all of you and try to imagine how the part each one of you has palpated joins withs the other parts to form this whole that is the elephant."

Like the blind, all the agents in the chain that participate in the discussion are partially right, partially wrong. It is all part of a bigger, more complex picture that needs to be discussed rationally and in the light of empathy and tolerance. Just like that, we will all learn from each other.

We hope ProjetoPack em Revista is contributing positively to this discussion. And with this desire to make a difference, and question with criteria and respect, we celebrate our 14 years of publication with the vigor and passion of the first day.

P.S.: This edition will be a must. Download the app from Google Play for an Android device, or Apple's App Store for an iPhone or iPad, and sign in, there is still time.

Regards,

Aislan Baer