The Supreme Court Justice analyzed the effects of technological transformation, the environmental crisis, and social fragmentation, and urged young people to take an active role in building the future.
Following an introduction by Chief Rabbi Isaac Sacca, Lorenzetti spoke with moderator Mía Politis at an event attended by more than 70 young professionals and university students who participate in Menora—a Jewish organization founded and chaired by Sacca, dedicated to shaping young people into ethical individuals committed to society and determined to take action for a better world. During the conversation, the Supreme Court Justice reflected on the challenges facing new generations in a world undergoing profound technological, social, and environmental changes. They also discussed the responsibility of leaders and society in building institutions more aligned with present realities, the importance of recovering humanistic ideals and values, and the role the judiciary must play in engaging with citizens.Lorenzetti warned of the risks of digital isolation, growing inequality, and social disillusionment, yet maintained an optimistic outlook, affirming that every crisis also presents an opportunity to rethink the future and fight for causes that restore collective meaning to community life.
At the start of the discussion, when asked by the moderator about his career, Lorenzetti spoke about his childhood in Rafaela and how, with no family background suggesting such a path, he eventually became a Supreme Court Justice. In that context, he stressed the importance of equal opportunities for advancement: “If there is one thing we must defend in this country, it is social mobility. We need to dismantle this closed system where everything depends on personal connections. We must not stop in the face of obstacles,” he reflected.
Asked about the importance of judges engaging with society beyond court rulings, Lorenzetti emphasized that communication with the public is essential in any field:“We must speak to society. Today we are witnessing a profound disconnection between institutions and the people—not only institutions, but also leadership and reality itself. The institutions we know were designed 200 years ago. Leaders keep repeating speeches they learned 200 years ago. But the foundations on which those institutions were built have changed. What is happening is that leadership speaks about a reality that no longer exists, and to an audience that has moved on—that is no longer interested in what they are saying. Much of today’s public discourse tries to impose itself on a reality that doesn’t exist.”
He then addressed various global crises—environmental, social, economic, and technological—with particular emphasis on the latter. Regarding technology, he noted: “Artificial intelligence, unlike other technologies, is not just a tool—it can replace us because it replaces decision-making. Then there are the life sciences, which can extend human life. All of this generates enormous social change. For each of us individually, technology is altering nearly everything we do. It creates a great deal of anxiety because we must constantly adapt—and that disorients us.”
“The social system has also changed. There is now a multiplicity of individual interests competing with one another. When we look at social movements, they are no longer organized around working-class, middle-class, religious, environmentalist, feminist, or human rights causes. As a result, political parties built on those foundations are fragmenting and collapsing. There are many changes, and all of this has distanced society from its institutions,” said the justice, adding that this situation leads to “a democracy that has become ineffective.”He explained that there is a rejection of the old “protective father” model—which has now become a “failed father” that society no longer trusts—and stressed that this cannot be resolved “by simply changing presidents; it requires a much deeper transformation—a change in direction, a systemic shift toward a humanism that integrates with nature and technology—a reorientation, a foundational change.”
In the face of this scenario, Lorenzetti warned that the initial reaction is often disillusionment, but cautioned: “If that happens, authoritarianism follows. And with authoritarianism come tragedies. The way out lies in ideals, in values, in strong institutions, in strong beliefs. The great challenge today is to generate a movement of beliefs, ideals, and humanism.”
He also addressed polarization and its dangers: “People only seek out what confirms what they already think—they become increasingly fanatical. They stay in the same Facebook groups, they read the same news,” he said, warning about algorithms, which, he argued, must be challenged: “We must demand algorithmic transparency, and above all, create spaces for encounters between different viewpoints—that is what makes us more critical, more resilient.”
Published by Infobae
