On Our Worst Behavior: We Never Love Us
I’m not f*ckin with you
The terms really don’t matter: bullying, dissing, throwing shade. They all serve the purpose to undermine and show mankind on our worst behavior.
From the beginning of civilization, it has been human nature to put another down. Jealousy, anger, and insecurity breathe negativity and callous behavior, bringing out the worst in a species that is capable of producing light and healing pain.
Images of Hate
We are bombarded by them from petty Twitter feuds between competing rappers — think Drake vs. Tyga (Drake went so far as to leave an indelible imprint of the feud by calling out Tyga in his recent album) — to partisan gridlock in Washington, where public figures still have the audacity to spew unforgiving remarks toward the Leader of the Free World.
Friendships now dissolve overnight because of too much ego and too little decency. Long-term relationships end because of too much deceit and too little honesty. We say too much and think too little. We inflict unnecessary pain.
We have focused on the degeneration of relationships and communication that has resulted from social media and hyper interconnectivity. It is as though we have lost our ability to be empathetic, emotional, honest and transparent creatures. We don’t challenge each other for the better, but we compete fiercely.
“Kind Campaign”
But there are some people who get it. We might recognize Lauren Parsekian as Aaron Paul’s wife, but she is also the mind behind the “Kind Campaign,” an organization that aims to bring awareness and healing to the negative and lasting effects of “girl against girl” crime.
She and co-founder Molly Mae Thompson founded the organization in 2009, and have since traveled the country teaching girls how to respect one another and the world in which they dwell. Many of us are already familiar with Lady Gaga’s anti-bullying initiative, the “Born This Way Foundation,” whose primary goal is to create a “braver, kinder world” for youth. I can think of no greater cause.
Here’s a call to action. Let’s stop the hate. When we hurt someone, we are hurting ourselves by compromising our character, our dignity, and our sheer essence. We are at our best selves when we demonstrate kindness, compassion, and understanding. We benefit the world the most when we uplift each other.
