Bring back humanity if there ever was one
First, I want to say that this blog is not supposed to be a place where I write about politics or society, but about nature and my personal life. And art of course. Secondly, I still intend to do a text about my life and those dearest to me in my next post. Then again my thoughts are a part of my personal life, I suppose. This is just something I find so important that I want to share about it in here. It is quite a long text but I hope you find it eye opening <3
Today at the university we discussed about something that has been in my mind for a while - and that is the basic human need to have a group of us and them. To feel like you belong somewhere and similar minded people do exist. That you are not alone. Because in the history of human kind being alone in the wild meant almost surely death.
Nowadays these different sort of groups don’t even want to understand each other. In Finland it is easily like this - if you criticize immigration, then you must deny global warming and you are most likely gay phobic. Then again, if you support immigration, you are probably a climate activist and vegan and very aware about sexual orientations and gender stuff. This is of course a very exaggerated example, but there is truth to it.
Between these groups it sometimes almost feels like some people want to misunderstand things on purpose so that they can force their opinions on others. Or they just refuse to listen or to have a dialogue with each other because the “other side” might have something valid and truthful to say and that might even change their mind about things. We have a need to protect our identity and we avoid things that might change it. In the end of this text you can find a YouTube video of finnish scientists discussing about this matter, and actually people have a tendency to deny facts proven by science if those facts don’t agree with their opinions. Or the opinions of the group. There are people on social media who are loud and have strong opinions and others are too afraid to take part in the conversation.
I think there are few points that are behind this modern day polarization that divides us that can be seen especially in social media. First of it is that you don’t really see the person behind the post, tweet or a comment. Someone said something in social media that you don’t agree with and it makes you even a bit angry. You make a conclusion that the whole person must be bad and it is not worth the time to try and understand because they are probably just going to disappoint you anyway. You feel like this person is a threat to you and the people you identify yourself with, and you must take this person down. Therefore you say something insulting. It is easy and it is fast to write the comment, you don’t even blink an eye to think if it might be someone with feelings and a life, someone who had a good intention in the end. That person behind the other end of the screen reads your comment and fears to walk alone at night.
I think mainly when it comes to discussing on the internet is that people expect others to basically just know everything. I mean, information is available online and it is just your own ignorance and stupidity if you don’t know about things. Politics, climate change, gender stuff, the list goes on. Shame on you if you don’t know everything. What we tend to forget is that the amount of information online is almost like space - there is no end to it. Not to mention what is to be trusted and what is not. Algorithms to guide us in to one direction, not showing the other side.
I think that it is only humane to not know everything and to change and grow over time when you learn new things. I for one can say that I don’t think I know nearly enough to have a strong opinion about many things. I always feel like I need to know more, and that I can’t really say anything because what if I’m wrong? What if I hurt someone unintentionally? People judge each other so easily and if you make one mistake, that’s it. That person made a mistake and people don’t change. Cancel them and everything they did.
A world where we drive for perfection, where we are supposed to be so aware of everything doesn’t really leave any space for mistakes or not knowing about things. It seems like a really one sided and cold world to me. Where is empathy and compassion? Where is the will to see similarities between us? Can we agree on that we don’t agree on everything? We all still have a need to be loved, to be recognized and to belong. I hope that one day we can have an open mind towards one another and that we can let go of the need to define people into groups based on one thing we know about them. Even though it is hard for me to have a strong opinion about anything, I can say that I strongly support empathy and the fact that we are all human and have so much in common despite our differences and opinions.
Lots of love to you on the other side of the screen <3
A discussion between scientists about polarization in Finland (in Finnish)
