I’ve always felt that being empathetic and understanding should matter most when it comes to shaping beliefs, attitudes and connection. We commonly hear the notion “be kind” but can so quickly turn against that rule when we don’t agree with someone or something. Although beliefs are imperative to forming who you are as a person, they also have the potential to block out new ways of learning and lose sight of what else is important.
In light of this upcoming election, I’ve been hearing the same sentiment over and over again “vote for who you believe is right for you”, but with this same conception comes a lot of underlying expectations and judgement. You should vote for who you want, so long as they’re aligned with what I believe in.
I myself am admittedly not a person that pays much attention to political agendas. I’ve always tried to remain neutral in my beliefs and hold space for others to follow theirs, no matter what it may be. However, I can’t help but feel like space for one another is slowly closing with the drive of political correctness. I can’t help but feel like we’re losing sight of so many big problems with the fixation of minute things such as ‘using the correct terms’. Sorry, but give me a fucking break… we are human. We do not have automated settings imbedded within us that we can just ‘change’. Change requires patience. I have watched the most purely intended people get called out for saying the wrong things. I’ve watched adults who have taken in children who are not their own get called out for telling distasteful jokes, and I’ve watched people that I love have their character stained because they shared an opposing political belief. It’s really painful to watch.
This new way of “forward thinking” is being mistaken for blinded tunnel-vision. We're so caught up in trying to pursue an 'all-inclusive' society, but failing to recognise that our approaches are doing the complete opposite. How can we create a culture that lets people flourish, when we leave no room for mistakes or growth? How are we supposed to "accept everyone" when we've already determined which people are good and bad based on a blanketed criteria we've made up in our minds? How are we supposed to expect others to be perfect, when we ourselves, are deeply flawed?
I’m not going to share my political beliefs because ultimately I really do believe that like religion and faith, it should be personal and determined independently. What I will share is this. I believe that we should always call ourselves out first before revoking others; I believe that no matter what our beliefs are, we should always reserve an open mind; and I believe that we should always attempt to approach one another with patience, understanding and knowledge. There is no doubt so much to change in the world right now, and I am more than willing to contribute to those changes in good faith, but I also believe that I have an obligation to nourish what is actually in front of me.
At the end of the day, we are all attempting to live by the means of what we believe is the right thing to do…. But let me remind you - everyone believes that what they are doing is the right thing to do. Morality is not black or white. It is complex, it is relative and it is constantly changing. You are not others and others are not you. The next time that you point your finger at someone, please take a step back and remember that.
