Human competence

I recently read a short newspaper article about the sense of touch and the rediscovery, in a digital age, of this fifth sense—the simplest, most instinctive, and perhaps one of the most communicative, because it can intervene in the absence of the others. Touch can be a disturbing gesture, but it can communicate something that cannot be expressed in words, like a caress, for example. It seems to me that rediscovering the importance of touch leads us to a deeper rediscovery of our humanity and the current need to rediscover, especially in our Latin culture, a humane and humanizing way of relating.
We communicate a lot through today's media, but there is something that cannot be expressed or communicated, and in a certain sense we remain orphaned by it.

For example, Saint Benedict, when speaking of welcoming guests, always present in a monastery, uses the word "humanity" to express the Christian charity with which we must welcome, especially the poor.
Showing every form of humanity in welcoming others seems almost to be identified with the word charity, that Christian charity that is a reflection of the way God welcomes us and has been welcomed. The God who became man teaches us to be human.

I believe this concept is at the foundation of Western European civilization and has endured the centuries and the vicissitudes of history's numerous invasions and migrations. It is a richness that must not be lost, despite all the technological, economic, and social evolution. It is not just a matter of "doing," of being proactive and effective. Of course, we must act intelligently and ensure that the "work of our hands" bears fruit, as Psalm 90 says: "May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands; yes, establish the work of our hands." But that is not all. To be "human," we must prioritize being rather than doing: we can serve with great skill, help, care, and work without "being there," without offering our presence and, with it, our heart, kindness, and attention to the person, without the human being being considered as such and without creating a relationship and a human exchange. It only takes a few days in the hospital to notice the difference, but it's an experience you can also have by walking into a shop, or if you've needed someone's help. This, I believe, is a crucial challenge posed by Artificial Intelligence. It can do everything, except human empathy.

With our way of being, we can brighten or darken the days of those around us, give hope or discourage, inspire a sympathy that allows for a quality of life, or draw boundaries and walls around us. Expertise is useful, but it's not everything: it must be accompanied by humanity.

As I said, this is a challenge posed by Artificial Intelligence and the robotization of many services.
The service rendered will not be enough if, somehow, there is no human warmth behind it.

In the humanism of our centuries-old tradition, there is not only the affective aspect or the fantasy that can seduce, but there is a personal, irreplaceable relationship, whereby the You has the same value as the I and it recognizes me as a You; so can I. The You does not even become a We; it remains independent even if uniquely connected. And, if it touches me, I receive a communication that says much more than words and even a look.

Cesare Falletti
NP November 2025