I’ve written a lot on this blog about my mental health issues and how I’ve chosen to isolate myself away from my fellow man. There’s a truckload of psychobabble that I could go into, and have gone into in the past, to try to explain why I am the way I am, but it all boils down to one thing in the end: I’m just fucking tired of having to witness the horrible way that we so-called “civilized beings” treat each other.
Now I know that you’re probably wondering, if I hate to see people mistreating each other so badly, why I spend so much time watching the crap on TV detailing precisely what it is that I claim to be escaping from? The simple answer is that I’m still looking for insights to help me understand why people behave so badly. And yes, I’m also hoping for signs that things are changing for the better.
Recently, there’s been a lot of news on the issue of “bullying” in our society, something I can relate to very well. A lot of people are making a lot of noise about making changes to the policies and laws that have been so inadequate for dealing with bullies in the past. While I am hopeful, I suspect that these efforts will stall out, as efforts like this usually do, when they run up against the interests of those who benefit from the system as it is.
Despite the fact that most of what I’ve written on this blog is related to this issue at least peripherally (under the intolerance category, for example, and in this Tolerance… Not! volume), I’d be remiss if I did not post something a little more specific to this cause. My approach to doing so was inspired by a performance of Don’t Laugh At Me by Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, the surviving members of Peter, Paul and Mary, on PBS’s Tavis Smiley. The first of the following videos is based on that song. The second is an excellent piece put together by educators using Timbaland’s Apologize. Please take the time to watch them.
I want ice water.
I Want Ice Water! 
Hey Mak, if I were you, I’ll put the second vid on first because it catches more attention.
I shared this post on FB.
LikeLike
Thanks Poch! I can’t change the order of the videos because the post itself was inspired by the song in the first one. However, I did edit the final paragraph to provide more info on what the videos contain. 😀
LikeLike
I’m with you Izakmak, our society sucks. What scares me the most is the Y gens who take no responsibilities for their actions and blame everyone but themselves. I hate to think what their off springs will add (other than Justin Bieber) to our already crumbling society.
LikeLike
Avoiding responsibility isn’t new to the Y gens. People have always preferred acceptance into the mob over the loneliness of doing what’s right. The real difference today is that the mob is so much bigger, making those on the side of right seem all the more alone. Until being right is also popular, it will remain the realm of the very brave.
LikeLike
I was bullied. And I can tell you it sucks. The limits on human behavior seem to be whatever can be gotten away with. Might makes right. From the kindergarten playground to countries with nuclear weapons. It’s all the same game. I agree with you that humans can really disgust and disappoint. It’s frustrating because we can have really great moments, too. Can’t have one without the other?
I’m not sure what the solution to bullying really is. Can it lead to things like Columbine? I think so. But a solution? I’m not sure it can be done.
Thanks for the thought provoking post.
LikeLike
I’m not sure it can be done either, but I think the issue itself speaks volumes on where we are as a species. 😕
LikeLike
Mak,
There are more good humans, than bad. The bad are in the category of animals. It is too bad we, as a society, have to “try” and regulate the behavior (of animals). Great article!
Rick
LikeLike
I agree that there are more good humans than bad, but I think that the inability of even the good to deal with this issue exposes some pretty deep internal conflicts. 😕
LikeLike
Pingback: Between The Wolf And The Moon | I Want Ice Water