There is a word in English that doesn’t have an equal in Turkish: “challenge”. If you look at the dictionary, you read explanations such as ‘contest’ or ‘defiance’. But it is not possible to Express it in one word, I think challenge is the right version.
Aktiffelsefe Cultural Association which has been organizing very successful cartoon exhibitions and symposiums about world problems for many years, challenged the cartoonists this year.
As it is known, cartoon is an opposing art. Whether it is on political grounds or social life, the job of the cartoonist is to criticize. He does this by using his pen with humor. He criticizes the society as well as the politicians. The educated, uneducated, rich, poor, conservative, modern, democrat, autocrat, all of them are criticized by the cartoonist. It is inevitable…
In short, cartoonist doesn’t compromise, because the essence of cartoon doesn’t contain compromise.
I took this sentence from the invitation letter that was sent to cartoonists by Aktiffelsefe Cultural Association: “We think that a world without opposites and conflicts is possible in spite of global situations and our daily life experience.”
As a cartoonist, I started to imagine as always and something like this showed up: Politicians show respect to each other, they argue their opinions with mutual understanding and harmony. When the country is governed with harmony, the people become happy and look to the future with hope. Everyone starts to share everything with everyone. When the resources are shared with justice, wars end. The immigrant problem ends too. Funds are directed to education. Jails become empty places, schools become full. Solutions to global warming are being examined, precautions are taken and our world is saved…
Is it possible? What will the cartoonist do then? Will he be unemployed? He won’t, he can’t because there are others.
Others? Let me count: Superbia, Avaritia, Luxuria, Invidia, Gula, Ira and Acedia.
The ones who know them, recognized them. These are the seven sins that should be avoided in life according to Christianism. They symbolise the seven vices of human nature. They are:
1) Superbia: Arrogance
2) Avaritia: Greed
3) Luxuria: Lust
4) Invidia: Jealousy
5) Gula: Gluttony
6) Ira: Anger
7) Acedia: Laziness
Can you imagine that the whole humanity is deprived of these? No matter what we believe in, if you believe that these exist, then you know that their disappearance is impossible. Well, is there no cure?
I think there is. Actually, it is expressed in one magic word. Unlike “challenge”, it has equals in every language: Love.
I don’t mean physical love, I mean the love you know, you experience many times in your life. Love of parents, love of spouse, love of brother, love of home, love of friend, love of pet, love of nature, love of country… and many more…
Isn’t love of children the best? Who doesn’t want a better world for his children, grand children? We can only end the vices I mentioned above when we give enough value to love and share it with others. Then it won’t be important that the cartoonist will be unemployed…
İzel ROZENTAL
Cartoonist