Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word empathy is defined as: “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.” I don’t understand how anyone could consider that a bad thing. Is it difficult at times? Absolutely, but it’s still something we should all strive for. Cruelty or turning a blind eye are not the better options, nor are they sustainable.
When I look out at the world today, and throughout history, it genuinely baffles me how someone could intentionally harm another human being. I’m not referring to defending someone. If I see someone hurting a child, especially one of mine, my little five-foot-nothing body will end them, if necessary. What I don’t understand is all the abuse that goes on every single day. All the people who are taking out their frustrations, fears, and insecurities on others.
How are wars still a thing? How is domestic violence still a thing? How is greed and corruption allowed to flourish? How are people being kidnapped off the street and put into detention centres tolerated? How is human trafficking a thing? How the f*ck were the Epstein files allowed to happen!?! Slavery, Residential Schools, genocide, apartheid, colonialism, imperialism, oppression, exploitation, neglect, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on…… When did life become less valuable than money and power? When did people (and other living creatures) become so easy to discard for personal gain? When did doing the right thing become a bad thing to do?
It feels like more people need to learn how to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. To imagine what life is like for humans who exist in different circumstances than their own, instead of judging, attacking, or fearing. To recognize that we’re all doing the best we can with what we’ve got.
All of us need to understand that other people have very different experiences from ours, even within our own households. Just because something has never happened to us or those we surround ourselves with, doesn’t mean it never happens. We don’t need to understand or approve of something to respect it.
We don’t get to tell another person how much pain they’re in or that their pain is all in their head. Others don’t have to match our emotional response to something bad happening. They’re allowed to feel their feelings as much or as little as they want to. Just because something’s not a big deal to us doesn’t mean it’s not a big deal to others. If it matters to someone, it matters.
We have no right to judge others, especially when we have no idea what they’ve been through, what they’re going through, or what lies ahead for them. If we walked the same path they did, there’s a good chance we’d end up in the same place. So give people the benefit of the doubt, some compassion, and maybe a little help.
More people need to learn that we don’t get to punch down when we’re frustrated, stressed, panicked or sick of struggling. People need to learn to control themselves and use their words instead of violence. Learn to collaborate instead of competing. We get so much more accomplished when we work together. There’s enough to go around if people quit hoarding or wasting resources.
Humans already have to deal with things like diseases, natural disasters, the elements, and accidents. Why do we have to make each other’s lives more difficult by attacking each other? We’re all humans and all in this together. Fighting each other, exploiting people, and screwing people over help no one.
We NEED to stop putting money above everyone and everything else. It’s time to start working together to avoid our own extinction and ensure we ALL thrive. All the money in the world won’t do anyone any good if there’s no food to eat, clean water to drink, or fresh air to breathe.
We need to learn to see ourselves in every person we cross paths with, to see everyone’s humanity, so we can all live a life less confined.
