Things Happen, We React

 I have been paying very little attention to the story of the five rich people who went down to view the Titanic wreck on the ultra deep submersible. I was pretty sure that they were already dead. At that depth any tiny thing goes wrong and it is pretty quick, like nano seconds, and it is over. The pressure at that depth is immense.

I did, however, see the reactions of a lot of different people. Some people trying for humor, and rarely succeeding, some people trying to be supportive of the people and families, prayers etc, and some people just flat out denigrating the people involved, and others just getting "in the face" of anyone making fun of this.

And then the news of what I suspected, they were dead and probably had been since the moment that communication was lost. Not unexpected by me and, I suspect, a lot of others.

And the reactions kicked up.

And the ones that I found most interesting were the ones that said, basically, these rich people got themselves into this why are my taxes paying for the search and rescue? We have many other needs for this money and they can afford to look themselves can't they?

Vastly simplified yet the main tenor. And the ones that marked people "safe" from caring about this were interesting as well.

And all of these reactions got me to thinking about how we all deal with the very public way that things like this play out in our world.

I remember, for example, when Ronald Reagan was President and was shot in the assignation attempt. He was not my fave Pres by far. I found most everything that he did reprehensible. And yet, when the news flashed over the networks that he had been shot, I had a sick to my stomach reaction and was appalled that anyone would want to do that to another person.

And I remember when the Challenger blew up 73 seconds into take off. I was at work and the word went around very quickly. I was in disbelief. And gradually I came to know it was true. And the same sick feeling and sorrow for the people on board the shuttle.

These were before social media. In the age of social media reactions have become much more diverse, and in many cases meaner.

How come meaner I have wondered. What is it about social media that lets some people just be cruel to others? I am not talking about disagreeing with someone's post and saying so and why, I am talking about just being mean for the sake of being mean.

Of denigrating people and situations just because the people involved are different from them. 

Why is it now safe to do this? Maybe because there is a certain distance involved so that no one can really call you out on it. And maybe because social media, by it's very nature, clumps like minded people together so that mean people can get reinforcement from one another easily.

So cruelty just for the sake of being cruel. I see that all too often. I am really grateful that I no longer, and have not for a long time, allow myself that behavior. I really believe that indulging in this behavior diminishes the one displaying the behavior. It makes them less of a person and more of an animal.

Let us be kind to one another. Let us recognize the Humanity in each other. Even when we disagree or dislike the life they are living. (Although as a side note neither of those things are your business.)

We are all Human. And while I will continue to call out those that I see spreading harmful and hateful beliefs, I will strive to recognize that they are just as Human as I.

For, as Ben Franklin said, "We must all hang together or we shall most assuredly all hang separately". And with the state of our World today that is even more true that ever.

So be Truthful. And be Kind. It is the only way to save us all from destruction.

So I believe.