I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the current state of the world. While there’s a shift to accepting non-binary when it comes to how people identify themselves as far as gender roles, we’re still stuck in an either-or world when it comes to other issues.
Whether it’s abortion, gun control, or other highly controversial topics, we’re told to choose a side. You’re pro-choice, or you’re pro-life, pro-guns or anti-gun. Where do the fence-sitters go? Isn’t anyone allowed to see both sides of the issue and agree with points on both sides? Why do we have to make a choice?
I wonder if it’s because we, as humans, are judgemental by nature. We hear about an issue, and we judge it as a good thing or a bad thing. But just because you see it as a negative thing, does that mean that anyone who doesn’t see it that way is wrong, uneducated, or misguided? Are you a sell-out if you agree with opposing points of view? Are we not allowed to grow, learn, and change our perspective?
The choices we made yesterday don’t define us today unless we’re still making the same ones. I think it’s sad when someone loses their job because of something they posted as a teenager when they were still trying to figure things out. It also makes me appreciative that I grew up at a time before social media because I’m sure I would have posted something that could have come back to bite me now. I know I’m not the same person I was ten years ago, never mind who I was at 17.
I think that the next time we see a post or a comment that isn’t in alignment with our beliefs, we should take the time to learn more about why the person feels that way and practice empathy instead of being quick to judge them because you disagree with their point of view.
I have learned a lot by listening to people whose perspectives on some issues I disagree with. It helps me understand where they are coming from and why they feel the way they do. It helps to open up communication, and maybe you’ll learn something. It’s better than trying to argue for your position and convince them to see things your way. We all have to accept that whether it’s friends, family, or people we engage with on social media, we’re not always going to see things the same way. ♥