Author Ana Alexandra Resende alerts to the contemporary obligation to always appear positive, cordial and inclusive, questioning whether society has not confused civility with conformism. She argues that a society is not built only with love and smiles, but also with people who disagree, question and have the courage to say no to what they consider unjust.
The article addresses the subtle mechanism by which anyone who questions too much is labelled as "difficult", "conflictive" or "problematic", producing an effective form of silencing without the need for formal censorship. The author notes the distance between what people say publicly and what they do when no one is watching, warning that words such as inclusion, empathy and solidarity can become "moral decoration" when lacking correspondence in actions.
The author argues that conflict can be productive, having produced labour rights, women's rights and democracy itself, which institutionalises opposition and debate. She also critiques the impact of social media on the construction of "personality shop windows", where it is easy to appear engaged without truly committing. She emphasises that a society needs people willing to ask "why?" and "on what grounds?", and that teaching children to never bother others may result in apathetic and disillusioned generations.
The article concludes by warning that silence also educates and that many injustices have survived thanks to phrases such as "don't get involved" or "it's not worth it". The author states she wants to continue believing in gentleness and empathy, but argues that there are moments when loving means having the courage to say: no, this is not right.
