It’s easy to hide behind our phones or computers, make comments, be righteous, be strong. Until we get lambasted for saying what we feel.

 

By Debbie Lynn

The “Rights,” the “Lefts” and the ones who fall in-between are fighting. The words: shame on you, fills social media

The tweets, posts and a lot of commentary aimed at the jugular to be vindicated after an attack on someone’s opinion is running rabid. The current climate is sticky. The air is heavy and laden with doubt, fear and anxiety. Sensationalism sells. *big sigh*

One person will say, “I am so tired of being shamed,” as they rant and shame another for being shameful. The irony is almost laughable. Almost. But the soapbox, self-proclaimed victims or the advocates for the victims puffing out their chests with words against words is always in deep contradiction to the end goal of peace and unity. The thing is: no matter how good the intention is, or how strongly we feel about something, when the responses are laced with degradation and humiliation they are not rectifying the situation.

Shame creates resentment, inner disgrace and fuels the fire for hatred.

It’s a cancer that grows and festers like wildfires. As more and more social media shares of the righteousness for the good of whatever keep circulating—the more amped-up people get—it solves nothing. Every time we encourage shameful remarks, it cuts to the very essence of someone’s personal opinion; we widen the gap of unification for betterment.

We might want to pause for just a minute and ask ourselves if what we are about to say is necessary and look into consideration of the fallout.

Although controversy can be a great tool for expanding knowledge, there are many ways to get a point across without minimizing and hurting others. The problem, I think, is the topics are so volatile and so personal. Many hold their beliefs with great passion. They drive home one-sided, deeply seeded opinions laced in fear.

We are human.

It’s hard not to jump on the bandwagon when we agree with the premise of the issue. I personally feel an obligation to not be passive and neutral on certain things. Yet, I have also been the target of bat-shit crazy anger so I now weigh my participation carefully. However, lashing out, even when we are defending an obvious “good,” becomes no better than the spoken or printed “bad.” It is truly double-edged sword that needs some dulling down.

It’s easy to hide behind our phones or computers, make comments, be righteous, be strong. Until we get lambasted for saying what we feel.

It isn’t the emotion that is so disturbing; it’s how things are said with disrespect, the out-and-out vile and sad retorts. It all smacks of pain—a lot of pain. The pain our world is in right now, it is so very huge, but driving home a well thought out point with cynicism and ugly words doesn’t help ease the pain. There has to be another way.

Truths that are spoken intelligently with a somber and powerful overtone are not always easy to hear, but when said with earnest intentional love, they can change everything. No matter how much we want to defend the weak or berate the ignorance, shame will not make a difference at all. Hold your fire, take a breath and revisit the purpose.

I would love to see a new paradigm: helping people rise instead of slamming them to the ground.

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope some day you will join us, and the world will be as one.” ~ John Lennon, Imagine

Photo: (source)

Editor: Alicia Wozniak

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