“I hate people” is another statement impossible not to overhear in a day. It’s no surprise; people can be really frustrating. Negative, mean, overbearing, proud, judgmental… The list goes on, and because unfortunately every trait I just named can be given to all of us at some points (some more than others) in our lives (or in a day), conflict is inevitable. Strangers, the best of friends, families, and even nations will be turned against each other due to this, and those moments are no doubt, awful.
Strange thing, though, those moments are also just what we need to be reminded of our humanity.
That may seem callous and extreme, but I believe it because far, far more often than not, be they resentful words in the grocery line or life-ending blasts, they are followed by some sense of community, and I will say here and now that I’m unashamed to admit that that sense of community is the reason that tragedy after tragedy, I have remained fervently in love with humanity.
Some people are saying that to focus on applauding the actions of first responders (anyone remember seeing the man in the cowboy hat?) in the wake of all of the tragedy in the past week is naïve, others that we should only be angry at those responsible and even ourselves for letting these things happen.
These sentiments have been what have bothered me more than anything else last week, just behind the tragedies themselves.
Yes, this world is in a terrible state of chaos. I wholeheartedly agree that this last week has certainly brought things to light that are very important to further examine and try to remedy. The blatant despondence and horror of the present makes me want to yell and scream and cry, too. I don’t mean to say there is nothing wrong, but just the opposite. Too much is wrong for such unproductive attitudes.
What can we do before we care for each other? Wasn’t that what we intended as we started entering these heated debates- to improve the world? To maybe, just maybe, keep paving a path for peace? It seems simplistic in those terms for that to be our goal, especially as things only seem to get worse, but what do we do with ourselves if not first rally together for hope?
I understand that hope in itself is not enough; we as humans must be movers and shakers, though hopefully in a more true and positive sense than poet Arthur O’Shaughnessy would so cryptically imply. Sitting around and wanting a better state will do nothing. We must get up and do things ourselves. Passion is most definitely what we need in these days of turmoil. But what we can’t do is lose our tenderness for one another as all we do is yell, scream, and cry; that will only incite more anger and more hate, and I think we can all agree that that is exactly the last thing our world needs right now.
