Between the embrace of ignorance, Fake News, and insecurity

On 26 July 2025, yet another opinion piece by Fátima Alves*, was published in Diário As Beiras. In a committed tone, the author transforms writing into a space for critical ethical and political reflection, confronting the contradictions of our time and denouncing the explicit and covert mechanisms of domination and manipulation that shape contemporary society.

From the perversity of scarcity disguised as moral virtue to the erosion of democracy fuelled by fear and misinformation, the text paints a stark portrait of a present in which hard-won rights are increasingly under threat, violence is normalised, and democratic debate is replaced by noise and spectacle.

In this scenario of ethical disintegration and the weakening of democratic foundations, the author asserts the urgency of critical thinking and utopian imagination as ways to rebuild a shared horizon. Here, the written word is not merely a form of denunciation, it is an act of courage and hope.

We invite you to discover the full article in the PDF below.

* Research Group Societies and Environmental Sustainability at the Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, TERRA Associated Laboratory at the University of Coimbra and its Extension at Universidade Aberta of Portugal.