This is the editorial of the last issue of 2016, which was a very special year that will surely be remembered by history.
It was the year in which the Brazilian people overthrew a government without a revolution, without shootings, without strikes, only through a clear demonstration of their will.
On the one hand, the system was strengthened, with a new level of respect for a society that imposed its will, within the limits of the law, by deposing a gang of criminals who called themselves a political party.
On the other hand, there was a great disappointment for those who believed they had solved the problems of social inequality and economic disparity that are present in our society.
I am sure the disappointment is greater than the feeling of justice that encourages many people that witnessed the fall of the greatest theft and corruption scheme in the history of Brazil.
The feeling of loss is greater and more painful than the feeling of victory.
Those who believed that we would have a great country - with economic growth at the international level, worldwide recognition, and the possibility of oil autonomy - have seen their dream eroded due to the largest confounder in any step of history, humans.
It all would have been possible and would have continued, were it not for the greed for financial gain above all else, the longing for eternal power, and the contempt for any legal standard.
They fell due to a legal loophole that started the entire process of impeachment, which in turn made it possible to overthrow the scheme. Indeed, as some have stated, this small loophole that was found by lawyers, which made the process legal, is disproportionate to the immense evil that was generated by the scheme.
History presents some similar examples, and perhaps the closest was that of Al Capone, the biggest gangster in history, famous for his donations to charitable campaigns, who was arrested in 1931 due to an income tax return error, a tiny mistake in his dishonest and murderous life.
I believe that the lack of a philosophy, of defined principles, and of theoretical support are responsible for these occurrences, episodic events in history that are often linked to individuals who were unprepared for the degree of leadership they exercised.
The contempt for institutions is the hallmark of all these disasters. Today, still in the throes of the crisis that occurred in this group of politicians, we still see an attempt to deny the legal process.
The arrogance and the lack of respect for the standard rules and for constituted authority is the ultimate destination of all those who reach high office without proper preparation.
The passivity and opportunism of those around these figures greatly favor their rise, enabling and stimulating their growth.
Fortunately, the adjustment mechanism governing the balance of nature does not allow for the progression of these people, but the evil they cause may in some cases be irreparable.
These facts are not exclusive of politics, but rather they occur in several areas. In our activity, it is not unusual to have a single person in charge of services, directing academic programs, managing societies and regional offices, surrounded by inefficient and opportunistic people. Throughout the history of Brazilian orthopedics, there were several examples of authoritarianism and arrogance that brought serious damage to people and institutions, who do not deserve to be remembered. These individuals have disappeared into oblivion.
Regarding RBO, 2016 was a great year, as indexing has placed us in the international scenario, and we have also continued to grow at the national level. We are starting a major process of renewing our board of reviewers, who will modernize our editorial profile.
Our new reviewers, suggested by specialty societies and by previous reviewers, will bring the youth needed to keep RBO progressing without losing quality. We are making this change gradually, so as not to lose the balance brought by the experienced and to achieve the dynamism brought by the younger generation.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Nov-Dec 2016
