The graffiti on the wall also sharply and clearly expresses current global consciousness and context.

Text/Photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang

The Greek director-writer Ulysses once said, "God wants to destroy a person; first make him mad."

In a diverse democratic society, respecting human rights and personal freedom allows anyone to express their thoughts and feelings. A society with developed and novel free thought, full of speculative vitality, appears in full bloom; this is the value and meaning of diversity. But in this mad world, human greed and corruption run rampant. Through media that deceives the heavens, beautiful empty theories are filled, and under illusions, truth is masked by beautiful lies. Soviet writer and Nobel laureate Solzhenitsyn said: "We know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, and we know they know we know they are lying, yet they still lie." Politicians use any means to achieve their goals, telling countless lies that continue to be enacted everywhere daily. Driven by greed for personal or collective power and interests, official-business collusion runs deep. With eyes open, one can see and hear politicians and businessmen telling blatant lies everywhere; not only are they arrogant but also bold. Under the boost of manipulating mass media, they become so bold as to forget who they are. Alas. Faced with lies and fake news told with eyes wide open, people with judgment remain unmoved and never dance to the media's tune. As philosopher Schopenhauer said, "If we suspect someone is lying, we should pretend to believe them, because they will become bolder and more confident, and lie even more boldly, eventually revealing their own mask." In an era where justice is not upheld, despicable people act openly and arrogantly with madness. What is terrifying is that today's internet and mass media are full of subversive lies and fake news, chilling us. This highly destructive force makes society unable to defend against it, slipping in unnoticed and causing us to fall into the abyss if careless. Clearly, this has become a manipulation tool controlled by authoritarian and interest holders. In this twisted, profit-driven, mad society, philosopher Schopenhauer pointed out long ago: "The world is immersed in sin: barbarians devour each other, civilized people deceive each other. This is what is called the way of the world. Wise people keep a distance from the fire when warming themselves, unlike fools who get too close; after burning themselves, they plunge into cold loneliness, loudly complaining about the scorching flames."