We, as humanity, are good at defining what is right and wrong and then judging based on those opinions. Often the judgement is based in our fear and ignorance. Our knowledge is developed by the thinkers and scholars who, through study and experimentation have come to conclusions that we then apply to our questions. We will see once solid conclusions be debunked by further research and then change our minds. It’s just a mess really.
Then there are the opinions of the masses. Read an article by a learned man who has studied and analyzed a subject for years and watch him be castigated and marginalized for his conclusions. Social media is especially effective, just read the comment section on any article or paper and see the fury that is unleashed. Sure there are a few trolls thrown in just to create dissention; people are not afraid to share their opinion, especially when they can do so anonymously.
Taking all this into consideration it made me think of the outcome of an individual life and all the ingredients that go into making a person who they become. Something like preparing a dish, such as a bowl of soup. Not to minimize anyones pain or trivialize the subject, after all, I am a survivor of sexual abuse as a child; but the sum of the ingredients will always create a specific outcome. And this is where we tend to put the blinders on.
In Christianity you hear about the “age of accountability.” If I had a buck for every time I heard that I wouldn’t be writing this blog! Basically it means that no matter what happens to you as a child, when you become an adult, you are responsible for your actions. True, when you are of age the law looks at you as an adult and therefore you are accorded all the benefits therein but also punishable for any wrongdoing committed.
Here is where the soup analogy comes in. When you are preparing a meal, you are placing ingredients into the pot one by one, specific quantities and at the correct time. They are then stirred together and heat is applied until it is ready to eat. If you put to much of anything or not enough of something into it, its taste is changed, the outcome may not be what you expected. Even to the point of disposing of it. The soup has matured but isn’t tasty. Furthermore, if the heat isn’t applied properly the entire thing can be tepid or burned and rendered inedible.
What do you think happens when you raise a human child? Isn’t it essentially just like the soup, only far more complex and impactful? Yet we do the same thing, throw them away.
- We continue to condemn people without doing anything to change their outcome or that of those coming behind.
- We make rash and simplistic judgements based on our own flawed knowledge, faults and fears.
- We have created and condone an inclusive culture and punish those who are negatively impacted by it.
- We continue to react to outcomes instead of recognizing early symptoms and treating them.
- We turn away when we see warning signs, then point the finger when they mature into full-blown lawlessness.
Humanity is responsible for itself. We cannot pick and choose which ingredients to exclude for our own personal comfort level and taste.
When we gain a broader, more empathetic understanding of all people we will begin to become one people.
Because you haven’t experienced sexual assault, racism, been a soldier in battle, suffered with depression or any number of things doesn’t mean you are not part of the solution.
We are making soup here, lets all have an opportunity to enjoy the meal.
The Place to be Real 