A scene from the series “Yabani” has sparked a strong reaction on social media

Dolunay Soysert

The new Turkish series “Yabani” (Wild Life), which premiered on September 12, 2023, has sparked broad public resonance. In particular, viewers were drawn to the speech of the character Neslihan Soysalan, portrayed by Dolunay Soysert.

One scene from the series, in which the character Neslihan, portrayed by Dolunay Soysert, delivers a speech at a charity event dedicated to helping orphaned children, left a strong impression on viewers. This scene shed light on one of the most pressing issues of the modern world, conveying the primary message of the series.

In her speech, Neslihan, a wealthy woman involved in charity work, addresses the issue of orphaned children. She poses a rhetorical question: “Whom are we protecting from whom? Last night, a street child asked me this question. ‘Are you protecting us from the streets, or are you protecting the streets from us?’ he said. I couldn’t answer. Is there anyone among you who can answer? This is what I predicted. What are we doing for the sake of God? Last night, my son found himself in a bad situation, and that boy brought him home safe and sound. I didn’t even say thank you.

Did you do that, my son? I did too. But I offered money to soothe my conscience. Because I was worried about repaying him for his service and getting him out of the house as soon as possible. I wanted to keep my children away from him. Like he said, I wanted to protect myself and my children from him, not him from the streets. But he helped us.

We have to accept the fact now. None of us cares about these children. We’re just trying to appease our conscience. We don’t want these children to walk around us on the streets. We’re all hypocrites.”

These words reflect the painful reality of orphaned children in the modern world. Many people who assist orphaned children do so not out of genuine desire to help but out of guilt or obligation. They don’t see these children as individuals but perceive them as a threat or problem.

Neslihan’s words make us contemplate how we truly feel about orphaned children. Do we genuinely want to help them, or are we simply trying to get rid of them?