LOVE AND OTHERNESS IN DIGITAL SOCIAL NETWORKS

Abstract

This review is of Charles Klemz's work (2025), which explores the theme of human diversity in digital social networks through a theological lens, focusing on people excluded from the standard of spectacularized society. The study takes a multidisciplinary approach, combining theology with philosophy, sociology, anthropology, communication and education. Through the analysis of cases such as the “Bald TV” and “Disability Is Not a Disease” channels, the research argues that human diversity, with its specificities and unglamorized realities, reflects the diversity welcomed and mirrored by Jesus Christ. The central hypothesis is refuted: excluded people do not wish to remain on the margins, but to participate, seeking recognition and appreciation of their authentic identities, using the very tools of the society of the spectacle to promote otherness and compassion. The conclusion is that the naturalization of diversity, driven by the education of the gaze and sensitive listening to life narratives, is fundamental to overcoming structural exclusion and recognizing the face of Christ in diverse humanity.