The second advisory board meeting of the Conscience Foundation was held on Saturday night, July 20, 2024. The members who attended the meeting emphasized the importance of the concepts of conscience and empathy in solving social problems and held in-depth discussions on the foundation's mission and projects.
Lack of Empathy and Social Conscience
Yasemin Kök stated that the biggest problem in society is the lack of empathy. “Empathy prevents unscrupulousness, but lack of empathy increases hatred and social problems,” she said. Kök emphasized that the media should be used effectively to eliminate this deficiency. She also stated that she wanted to provide support for children staying with their mothers in prison and expressed the importance of more news on this issue.
Redefining Conscience
Ferhat Kentel stated that the word conscience is generally neglected in Turkey and has lost its meaning. He stated that this study will give new meaning to the word conscience. Kentel said that the concept of conscience is generally seen as a second-class word, but this initiative will transform the word into a more consistent and full concept.
Social Traumas and Empathy
Ferhat Kentel stated that the traumas and social disasters in Turkey left deep scars on people, and that this situation was the reason behind behaviors that seemed like unconscionable. “It is important for people to empathize and understand the pain and trauma of others,” he said. He gave examples from comments made on social media following the death of a Kurdish child, explaining how a lack of empathy created hatred and hostility in society.
The Role of the Media and the Promotion of Conscientious Behavior
Hasan Argünağa criticized the media’s influence on society, stating that the media was giving negative directions and misinforming the masses. He emphasized that the conscience movement should be more active in the media, and that it was important to inform society correctly and to mobilize consciences. Argünağa said, “I have doubts about whether or not showing examples of unconscionability as bad examples would be effective. Showing bad examples could negatively affect society.”
Difficulties Experienced by Academicians and the Issue of Conscience
Kerem Altıparmak stated that it has become impossible for positive people with conscientious responsibilities to address this issue in Turkey. Altıparmak, who touched on the difficulties experienced by academics in particular, recalled that many academics were dismissed because they signed a digital text. He stated that working on issues such as the Armenian Genocide and the Kurdish issue poses great difficulties in Turkey and expressed the problems faced by academics working in these areas.
Polarization and Social Justice
Bayram Erzurumluoğlu stated that society is polarized, manipulated with ignorance and made to be hostile towards each other. He emphasized that it is important to remind people of conscientious values in this environment. He said that people should be reminded of their consciences in the face of events such as refugees drowning in the sea. He also stated that people who act without conscience should be exposed and that it should be stated that these people are not only unconscionable but also commit crimes.
The Value of the Past and Social Memory
Yusuf Ekinci stated that he thought it was valuable to talk about the past regarding the activities in Batman. He stated that the efforts to solve the Kurdish issue in Batman with its social conscience dimension were important. He also touched on the Mazlum-Der past and the protests of the parents of the children who went to the mountains in Diyarbakır, and underlined the conscience dimension of the Kurdish issue.
Importance of the Meeting and Future Plans
At the end of the meeting, participants once again emphasized the importance of the concepts of conscience and empathy in solving social problems. They made various suggestions to further the mission of the Conscience Foundation and stated that such meetings are very valuable in terms of enlightening the society.
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