Should We Be Saddened by the Notre-Dame Fire?

Sadness, as all feelings, cannot be controlled, either are we sad or we aren’t. There is no room in between. We don’t have the opportunity of choosing whether it is approximate or not to feel in such a way. It is because of this fact it isn’t fair to open a debate about how people should be sad or not. People feel attached to historical patrimony because it reminds them of the legacy they have inherited from the ones who were here before them. Moreover, their reaction to a particular event tells a lot about their identity, because we react with depth with something to which we feel close to. People from all over the world have shared their support and their concerns about the cathedral in the name of common humanity but also as a sign of empathy toward the French people whose cultural patrimony were put at risk. In this same regard, Christians felt hurt because Notre-Dame is a symbol of their religion and their community. We shouldn’t blame people for being indifferent to this fire, even though I deplore it. This indifference should make us question ourselves about if we share an equal concern toward the calamities of others. Do we manifest empathy, love and compassion toward all the suffering of the world equally? Probably not. The indifference some have shown should spark our empathy to all living beings so we cannot be judged in return for such a lack of compassion.