Terremoto 8 - The Yes Issue

How could a political incentive for change such as the Colombian peace treaty signed with FARC after 50+ years of war—and its philosophical connotation within a traumatic history of violence—be rejected by the democratic majority in the October 2016 referendum? How could the economic and cultural collaboration at the scale of a geopolitical zone such as the European Union also be rejected by a majority of Brexiters in the UK? How could the United States choose Donald Trump as a president?
We would like to think that these responses spring out of collective fear, bigotry, and conservatism, but their causes might be much more profound, taking root in histories and processes that go way back through the last tumultuous centuries. A pluralistic future won’t happen without discussion and it is time to gather our arguments and find a way to keep on with the conversation—precisely because of our diverse political, religious, gender, cultural, and racial identifications. In this issue of Terremoto, we will discuss risk, fear, failure, and commitment.
We will consider methodology and consensus. Looking at artworks, aesthetics, and narratives able to depict ambiguous human relationships towards collective living, political cohabitation and acceptance with nuance, we will face the ugly truth and argue along the way—often being tempted to abandon the conversation.
However, in this new year and in praise of difficulty, let’s strive for compassionate, disciplined action and intellectual generosity. Together, let’s manage anxiety in the most creative ways by seeking to apprehend what it is that we truly wish.

With contributions by:
Morgan Fisher and Tenzing Barshee, Lucrecia Martel and Manuel Kalmanovitz, Kiki Mazzucchelli ...