هل يمكن للإنسان أن يتحرر من ماضيه، أم أن المجتمع يفرض عليه حكمه الأبدي؟.. استدعاء الأخطاء السابقة بقصد الانتقاص من الكرامة أو التشهير يمثّل إعادة إنتاج للوصم، ويحوّل الفرد إلى أسير لمرحلة زمنية مضت، بما يعيق إمكان إعادة التكيف أو تجاوز التجربة.. وبهذه الطريقة، تتحوّل الذاكرة الجماعية من مساحة للتعلم والمراجعة إلى أداة للإقصاء والعقاب المستمر، فتتلاشى إمكانية الإفادة من الخبرات السابقة لصالح المجتمع ككل.
مع ذلك؛ لا يمكن إنكار أن كشف الماضي قد يكون أحياناً ضرورة أخلاقية، خصوصاً عند التعامل مع أفعال مؤذية لم يُعترف بها أو لم يُعالَج أثرها.. في هذه الحالات، يصبح الكشف وسيلة للمساءلة العامة، وأداة لحماية الآخرين، وتعزيز وعي المجتمع بما يحد من تكرار الضرر.. غير أن القيمة الأخلاقية لهذا الكشف لا تتوقف على وقوع الحدث ذاته، بل على السياق والغاية التي يُستخدم من أجلها: هل الهدف هو تحقيق إنصاف حقيقي، أم مجرد تصفية حسابات والتشهير؟
الإنسان بطبيعته كائن متغير في وعيه وقيمه وسلوكه، لا كائناً ثابتاً في ماضيه.. فالتحول الصادق الذي يظهر في الاعتذار؛ معالجة الضرر، والالتزام المستمر بممارسات جديدة، يغيّر طبيعة الحكم الأخلاقي على الماضي.. محاكمة الفرد على أخطاء تجاوزها ولم تعد تعكس وعيه الحالي تمثل عقاباً غير متكافئ، يفتقر إلى البعد الإصلاحي، ويضيع فرصة الاستفادة من طاقاته المتجددة في خدمة المجتمع.
لذلك؛ تقوم العدالة المتوازنة على ركائز متكاملة: المساءلة التي تحفظ الحقوق وتضمن الإنصاف، والاعتراف بالتغيير الذي يتيح إعادة الإدماج.. الاقتصار على الأولى يحوّل العدالة إلى عقاب دائم، والاكتفاء بالثانية قد يفتح باب الإفلات من المسؤولية.. أما الجمع بينهما؛ فيشكل أفقاً أخلاقياً يوازن بين حماية الحقوق وإتاحة الإصلاح، ويؤكد أن الماضي لا يجب أن يكون قيوداً تمنع النمو.
ختاماً
حبس الإنسان في ماضيه يلغي قيمة النمو الأخلاقي، بينما الاعتراف بإمكانيه التحوّل يفتح الطريق أمام مجتمع أكثر عدلاً ومرونة، قادر على حماية الحقوق دون أن يغلق باب التغيير والإصلاح.
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
أشواق شتيوي
ASHWAG_SHETEWI@
Can a person free themselves from their past, or does society impose its eternal judgment upon them? Calling upon past mistakes with the intent to diminish dignity or defame represents a reproduction of stigma, turning the individual into a prisoner of a bygone era, which hinders the possibility of readjustment or overcoming the experience. In this way, collective memory shifts from a space for learning and reflection to a tool for exclusion and continuous punishment, erasing the potential benefits of past experiences for society as a whole.
However, it cannot be denied that revealing the past can sometimes be a moral necessity, especially when dealing with harmful actions that have not been acknowledged or whose effects have not been addressed. In these cases, disclosure becomes a means of public accountability, a tool for protecting others, and a way to enhance societal awareness that limits the recurrence of harm. Yet, the moral value of this disclosure does not depend solely on the occurrence of the event itself, but rather on the context and purpose for which it is used: Is the goal to achieve true justice, or merely to settle scores and defame?
Human beings are inherently changing in their consciousness, values, and behavior, not fixed in their past. Genuine transformation, which is evident in apology, addressing harm, and a continuous commitment to new practices, alters the nature of moral judgment on the past. Judging an individual for mistakes they have overcome, which no longer reflect their current awareness, represents an unequal punishment, lacking a reformative dimension, and squanders the opportunity to benefit from their renewed energies in serving society.
Therefore, balanced justice is based on integrated pillars: accountability that preserves rights and ensures fairness, and recognition of change that allows for reintegration. Limiting oneself to the former turns justice into a permanent punishment, while relying solely on the latter may open the door to evasion of responsibility. However, combining both creates an ethical horizon that balances the protection of rights with the opportunity for reform, affirming that the past should not be shackles that prevent growth.
In conclusion
Confining a person to their past negates the value of moral growth, while acknowledging the possibility of transformation paves the way for a more just and flexible society, capable of protecting rights without closing the door to change and reform.
However, it cannot be denied that revealing the past can sometimes be a moral necessity, especially when dealing with harmful actions that have not been acknowledged or whose effects have not been addressed. In these cases, disclosure becomes a means of public accountability, a tool for protecting others, and a way to enhance societal awareness that limits the recurrence of harm. Yet, the moral value of this disclosure does not depend solely on the occurrence of the event itself, but rather on the context and purpose for which it is used: Is the goal to achieve true justice, or merely to settle scores and defame?
Human beings are inherently changing in their consciousness, values, and behavior, not fixed in their past. Genuine transformation, which is evident in apology, addressing harm, and a continuous commitment to new practices, alters the nature of moral judgment on the past. Judging an individual for mistakes they have overcome, which no longer reflect their current awareness, represents an unequal punishment, lacking a reformative dimension, and squanders the opportunity to benefit from their renewed energies in serving society.
Therefore, balanced justice is based on integrated pillars: accountability that preserves rights and ensures fairness, and recognition of change that allows for reintegration. Limiting oneself to the former turns justice into a permanent punishment, while relying solely on the latter may open the door to evasion of responsibility. However, combining both creates an ethical horizon that balances the protection of rights with the opportunity for reform, affirming that the past should not be shackles that prevent growth.
In conclusion
Confining a person to their past negates the value of moral growth, while acknowledging the possibility of transformation paves the way for a more just and flexible society, capable of protecting rights without closing the door to change and reform.


