We currently live in an interesting time where the topic and war on "political correctness" has risen to the forefront. There is a rise in ridicule and calling out people for the insensitive jokes or comments they put out into the world, and a lot of what has been normalized or shunned in culture is getting a new light put onto it. Before we get too far into this, I want to say that there are extremes on both sides of the argument. In my personal view, I believe that simply getting offended by every little thing is wrong, and here's why.
I am a supporter of knowledge. Constantly learning and being able to grow is one of the best parts of being human because your job is never done. You can always improve on something, and there are endless ways to take on conversations and actions. I think having genuine dialogue on certain issues or topics is important because we always can learn more about people and even about ourselves. As cultures expand and change, we should acknowledge what people are saying. As someone who loves to learn and admires how complex humanity is, I want to hear other viewpoints and see situations through eyes other than just my own.
However, I am also a supporter of true advocacy, or acting upon your views to spark change. This can be small gestures like deep conversations with friends or family, or larger ones like going to rallies and protests. If you value something, you should be willing to fight for it. This new age of "wokeness" has inspired conversation and learning, but it has also bred this age of entitlement and victimization. I see people wanting to spread information they believe in with such fire and such passion, but they hold a blatant disregard for how others feel. People want to get angry and shame people for their actions, like there is some point system the rest of us don't know about. Pointing out something you view as ethically wrong is fine, but there needs to be more substance to your claim than just mindless finger-pointing. You aren't any better than a "bigoted" party if you also refuse to open yourself up to looking at different perceptions.
Look, the point is that if there's something wrong in your community and you truly care and want a different outcome, work towards change. Make an effort and propose compromises or solutions rather than just letting life offend you. Stop letting your rage or your disappointment about something important die off and fizzle into petty social media posts that get forgotten. Feel your passion, and feed that passion. Make the world, to the best of your abilities, one that you can be proud of, and stop relying on wishful thinking to bring you solutions all on its own.
What are your thoughts on this? As always, please feel free to comment your viewpoints or ask questions down below. Conversation is important.
