The CDMX lived this weekend one of those postcards that are rarely repeated: two of the largest world pop stars offering concerts in the Mexican capital with just hours of difference. Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, icons of an entire generation, transformed the city into a carnival of lights, wigs, sequins and euphoria.
For years, media narrative fed an alleged rivalry between them. In 2013, Gaga launched “Applause” almost at the same time that Perry premiered “Roar”, and since then the press did not stop comparing its sales figures, looks, video clips and even the levels of stridency in their speeches. The show machinery knew how to play their cards well facing two successful women, as if the pop throne could not be shared.
But this weekend something changed. The contest was dissolved between screams and applause when Katy Perry was captured among the public of the last Gaga concert in the city. The cameras showed her excited, recording with her cell phone and applauding with enthusiasm. Then, in social networks, he wrote: “I am very proud of you.” A small, but powerful gesture that made it clear that true competition is with oneself.
Gaga made the GNP Seguros stadium vibrate with hymns such as Bad Romance, Abracadabra and Alejandro while dedicating letters in Spanish to their small monsters. For his part, Perry did the same pounced by the air while delighted to the CDMX arena with classics such as Dark Horse, ET or “Roar” itself.
Beyond pop nostalgia, eccentric outfits and perfect choreographies, this weekend showed that music can also heal old wounds. Perhaps it is time to leave behind prefabricated lawsuits by the industry, release the need to choose sides and simply enjoy the most important thing: music.
*Alejandro and the Morbo Culture*
While in the capital there was a party of colors, music and reconciliation, a completely different story was developed in social networks. Alejandro Cortés, a 20 -year -old man, died drowned on the beaches of Cancun after throwing himself into the sea to try to save a friend. His body was found days later, in devastating conditions, and since then he became the object of morbid media coverage and a conversation in networks full of insensitivity.
Headlines such as “Devored by sharks” and publications filtering Alejandro’s last photo have generated an avalanche of cruel and dehumanizing comments. There are those who make fun of the condition of their body, while others even use their history to justify misogynist speeches against the young saved by Alejandro. The tragedy was transformed into a show by the press and grass for scarge on networks.
Beyond the lack of media ethics, the truly alarming is the response of people. In the comments of the publications there are abound phrases that reflect a worrying social decomposition. The value of a life is measured in clicks, and the suffering of others becomes entertainment. Empathy is diluted between memes and sarcasm, as if we were trained not to feel, not to look beyond the morbidity.
Alejandro died like a hero. He threw himself into the sea knowing that perhaps he would not return, but convinced that he should help. And yet, he was treated as a grotesque anecdote by those who did not even stop to think that behind that story there was a broken family, a saved friend and an act of love. The problem is not only misinformation or lack of media regulation, but a culture that seems more and more indifferent to pain.
In a country where tragedies multiply every day and where violence is normalized, it is urgent to rethink our way of consuming news. What tells us about ourselves that the body of a brave young man becomes a trend for his physical state and not for his heroic act? When did horror stop being enough to move us?
Perhaps the real message of this weekend is in that contrast: between the sorority that blooms in a concert and the cruelty that multiplies in the comments. Between the music that unites us and the morbidity that separates us. Because if something is clear to us is that, today more than ever, we need to choose which side of the story we want to be.
*Art that releases*
Speaking of making history, the life of thousands of people deprived of liberty is about to change thanks to “art for freedom”, a joint project of the federal government with the private initiative that represents a second opportunity for one of the most segregated sectors of our society. It was this week that, in collaboration with Fundación Slim, the Ministry of Safety and Citizen Protection announced the launch of this brand of artisanal products prepared by people in imprisonment, which not only can take an economic benefit to their families, but also can make their way to social reintegration through skills that accompany them after their confinement.
Until now, Art for Freedom has reach in 14 federal social reintegration centers (Ceferesos) in 12 states of the Republic, and has benefited about 52 thousand people. This is the kind of stories that, in the midst of a world that seems increasingly dehumanized, it is worth continuing: those of reintegration and claim.
*Alliances that move*
Entering the good news, the new alliance between Oxxo Gas and Didi represents an example of collaboration that directly benefits those who make possible the transport system on demand in Mexico. As of April 28, DIDI drivers can access gasoline discounts in selected oxxo gas stations in six states in the country, which translates into monthly savings of up to 1,300 pesos. The incentive is not lower, in a context where operating costs directly affect the profitability of thousands of independent workers. This initiative not only represents a commercial action, but also a recognition of the role that these drivers play in the daily economy.
Through the Spin Premia program, this alliance not only offers discounts, but also access to additional rewards that strengthen user loyalty. With eight personalized and operational stations until June 11, the project suggests that the link between technological and traditional services companies can generate new forms of cooperation. While profitability and user experience are the immediate engines of this alliance, its true impact will be measured by the ability to replicate in more regions and expand the benefits to an increasingly essential mobility network.
Among applause, tragedies and new opportunities, this weekend made it clear that not everything is lost. From the acts of empathy between pop divas to the efforts to transform the confinement into art or make the daily work of thousands of drivers, culture – in all its forms – it is still that space where it is still possible to reconcile with the human. Faced with noise and dehumanization, music, solidarity and intelligent alliances remind us that there are still reasons to believe.
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