Please, please, please: Do (Look Up)!

by: Mateusz Ciasnocha

In this short column on the recent Netflix blockbuster Don’t Look Up, Mateusz Ciasnocha – a participant of The Economy of Francesco from Poland and a Co-Leader of The Farm of Francesco project born within The Economy of Francesco – reflects on the movie and shares his three insights that emerged after watching and reflecting on the film with the EoF Community.

Let us start this article by summarizing the plot of Don’t Look Up for those, who did not watch the movie yet. The movie takes place in the nowadays USA when a team of US Government-funded scientists discovers a comet heading directly into Earth. The comet is so big that, when it hits the Earth it will certainly destroy it. The scientists’ discovery is quickly made known to the President of the USA, whom the scientists are scheduled to see as soon as possible.

Here is where the action starts. The meeting with the President is delayed due to the current political priorities – guided by the principle of “pointing out to the opposition that they are wrong” – and once the meeting finally takes place the scientists are ridiculed, their clear recommended actions are questioned without those questioning really understanding the importance of the exchange they participate in, as well as the implications of the discovery made.

As the plot progresses – despite initial difficulties with agreeing to take action – the plan to take action against the comet hitting the Earth is suspended and turned into a business-driven plan of how to make money on the minerals present in the comet. While the Earth is ultimately destroyed in the movie, a few make it to the other planet capable of supporting life and… repeat the same mistakes that were present in their actions on Earth.

With some of the key parts of the movie presented above, I would like to encourage you Dear Reader to watch the movie on your own and spend a little bit of time thinking about how it makes you feel, as well as what insights are you drawing from it. In order to encourage you to do so, I will share my three major insights below:

1. Do (Look Up)!

I fully agree that climate change, the world’s poverty, or individual addictions often are overwhelming and we cannot solve them here and now for good.

While the above is true, it is also true that you can take action. Do something! Whether that means looking up (or down, or ahead, or behind), taking a moment to slow down and reflect, or picking up a phone to call your grandparents, or anything else – you can take action now to make the world a better place. You truly can. Please do stop reading this article now, take 30 seconds to think what that one thing can be and just do it. Once you have followed this See-Chose-Act framework shared with The Economy of Francesco’s youth by Pope Francis, thank you for continuing with reading this article further.

To share some specifics here. Three very simple examples of actions being taken behind this article are: Firstly, Maria Virginia Solis Wahnish from the Economy of Francesco and my Co-Leader at the Farm of Francesco, taken an action to recommend the movie to me. Secondly, I have taken an action to watch the movie. Thirdly, the EoF Staff has provided me with an opportunity to write this column. To both Maria Virginia and the EoF Staff, I am super grateful, because without their “small” actions so many other great things in my life would not have happened, such as me sharing time with my family, when watching the movie.

While the Earth is ultimately destroyed in the movie, a few make it to the other planet capable of supporting life and…

repeat the same mistakes that were present in their actions on Earth.

2. Take Action

Once you have responded to kind and gentle blessings that are present all around us – such as an invitation to write this article – respond proactively with action. You, yes YOU, can make a difference that matters. It is your drop in the ocean that can and – let me assure you – will make a difference. Don’t Look Up reminds of this truth beautifully.

When I think about examples I know to trust the above paragraph is true, I do not have to look any further than the Economy of Francesco itself. So many activities within the formal structure of the EoF: EoF School and EoF Entrepreneurial School, as well as numerous others emerging out of the EoF, such as already mentioned the Farm of Francesco, the Pacar School Foundation Limited, the Profit PodQuest Podcast, or the report on various initiatives emerging out of the EoF written by the Polish participants of the Economy of Francesco for Caritas Poland Laudato Si Project are concrete examples that youth around the world are not only Looking Up!, but also taking action on providing a concrete answer to Pope Francis’ call to restore Our Common Home and answer to the Cry of the Poor.

3. Remember God is in all of this

As Don’t Look Up reminds us, sometimes we might fail despite looking up and taking action. Whatever happens, He is present in all of this and even though, it might not make sense for you know, it does make sense in His plan. Trust. And as you do so, do not forget that looking up and taking action were points first and second in this column. God is present in everything, but He can work only if you work.

As we conclude this piece, in case you still did not do so, I would like to invite you to start applying the See-Chose-Act framework of Pope Francis in your daily life. Maybe that will lead you to support the launching campaign of the Farm of Francesco available here? Maybe that will lead you to join The Economy of Francesco International Event 2022 scheduled to take place in Assisi on 22-24th September 2022? Whatever your concrete insight, action and result will be, please make sure you take the first step. We need you.

MATEUSZ CIASNOCHA

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