Everywhere I look, some one is judging someone. One mom is wrong for breastfeeding in public while another is, "ruining her child's immune system" by not breastfeeding at all. One man is outdated for opening a door for an independent woman who, "can open the door on her own", while another is weird for staying home while his wife is the bread winner. One person is a jerk for persecuting Christians while another is a jerk for being a Christian.
Why are we all so worried about each other that we have to, not only judge, but share it on the Internet? People can't even post a picture of their kids, their dog or their life without being judged. I used to think that websites like The People of Walmart were funny, but even those get to me, recently. If someone posts a funny picture of themselves, with a caption letting you know they know it's funny, that's different. But shouldn't people be able to go to the store with the simple expectation that as long as they mind their own business, don't hurt anyone, and don't break the law, that their picture will not be posted on social media?
I think it is fairly normal to judge. I think the problem comes when we share it and is exponential worsened when we share publicly. We are all getting so numb to it, that we do not even remember that the people in the photos or on the posts are real people with real feelings. We are becoming a society of bullies.
Anything you do could end up on some These People are Annoying list. ( You know, the Most Annoying People on Instagram, the Most Annoying Moms at Pick-up, The Most Annoying Co-workers...) I do not know what flipped in me, but these lists that usually make me laugh in agreement have just started to make me sad. I love comedy, and I know that joking is all in fun; I can handle a tasteless joke, but these lists are starting to feel mean spirited.
I saw this sign for teachers to use in the classroom encouraging kids to THINK before they speak. If kids are expected to do this, shouldn't adults be expected to, also? I mean, seriously, can you imagine a world in which we only considered the actions of others when they directly affected us, our loved ones or the whole of society? Can you imagine if we all only said negative things in a respectful manner and only when it was for the betterment of a person or society?
Can you imagine if we all spent so much time loving, giving, helping, enjoying, laughing, even crying, when appropriate, that we didn't have the time or focus to judge?
I know that I am not perfect. I know that I will judge someone again. Heck, I may even do it today. Some may even say that this post is judgmental for judging people and society. I also know, that I will try to do it less. I will try to click on less negative stories making fun and more positive stories offering inspiration. I challenge you to do the same thing. Next time you see someone who does not act, look or dress within your expectations or within a societal norm, ask yourself what road may they have been on that got them to make that choice. Also, ask yourself, if it's not hurting me or society, why do I care? If you are not comfortable with the answer you give yourself, maybe you could consider moving your thoughts along to something else. I am certainly going to try.
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