Some thoughts I’ve had on the state of the world and how to make it better. It’s geared toward the US, but it applies pretty universally.
With everything happening, all the division and hate (and the progress that’s finally happening, but isn’t getting the attention it deserves), I took time to think on how we can all be better and make the world better for everyone.
Start by understanding. Really understanding. You cannot look at a situation from outside and understand it within a few minutes. Mankind is way too complex for that. We all need to work to understand each other and the situations we find ourselves in. When we do, we’ll realize how ridiculous it is to hate each other.
Realize we’re not enemies. We want America, and in a broader sense, humanity (read: everyone) to prosper. People have different ideas how to achieve that. That’s ok. It takes a multitude of different ideas and perspectives to make things work. Adult discourse between parties that disagree is healthy and incredibly important. That’s how we grow as a society.
Be nice to each other. I wish I didn’t have to explain this. Being kind and adult about things, especially when we don’t agree with them, is a sign of humility and maturity. You can de-escalate an intense situation by finding common ground to relate to the other party. I cannot stress the importance of that enough. Kindness will temper aggression. Aggression will foster aggression.
Research and read before you share. There is SO MUCH fake content out there. People create things or take them out of context just to cause an emotional reaction. All of us are responsible for seeking the actual truth, not just the context that “proves” our view. Our opinion and feelings should change with the facts, not the other way around. The people that fake content and try to rile us up against each other are unremarkable in any way, and hate and division are their only contribution to the world. Don’t give them that satisfaction.
If you see something wrong, speak or stand against it - especially in person. If someone’s being treated unfairly, do something about it. Standing by doesn’t accomplish anything. If a politician is pushing an unjust law or regulation, write them and their contemporaries about it. Vote them out if they continue. Which brings me to my final point.
Look at every individual and group in terms of their morals, not their political affiliation. Political parties are interest groups. They don’t stand for us, their loyalty is to money and power. Vote for a candidate because you find them to be moral. Educate yourself on how each candidate has conducted his or herself in the past, as well as how they plan to tackle issues if elected. We’re headed into our second straight giant douche-vs-turd sandwich presidential election and we can only blame ourselves for it. We can do better.
One more time, we can do better.
