***THIRTEEN REASONS WHY SPOILERS AHEAD***
I think that I have seen at least twenty different articles about this show that seems to have taken the millennial world by storm. Thirteen Reasons Why is a show that I was not hesitant to watch. I saw it come across my Netflix account, I found time to watch the first episode, and then I was hooked, so I watched five episodes one night, then six the next morning, and then the rest later that week. I will admit that the show does have a lot of profanity, a lot of sex, and a lot of graphic images, but there's a great reason why I think everyone needs to watch this show. Well, my great reason is twofold:
1. It is important that people see things like rape, bullying, and suicide for what they are: completely and totally evil.
2. It is important that people see other people for who they are: completely and totally evil.
The thing I loved about this show was the fact that it did not portray any of the characters as naturally good, since everyone was at fault in some way during the show. Zach, though I do not believe he deserved to be on the tapes, was not innocent of bullying. Clay may have been pointed out on Hannah's tapes for a completely different reason than all the other people, but he was not innocent either. He bought alcohol, drank it, and he was guilty of vandalizing Zach's car. Most characters lied at at least one point in the show. Most characters were engaging in sexual acts before they were married. Many characters were homosexuals. Most of the characters were high for a large majority of the show. One of the main characters (if not more) was an alcoholic. Hannah's parents were at fault in a sense because they failed to recognize the signs given by their daughter, choosing to focus on their failing business instead.
Even Hannah was at fault in some ways. I'm not arguing that she committed suicide to get attention, as many on the show argued. I am saying this: some of those people did not deserve to be on Hannah's tapes, and some of those people (namely, Zach) were put through unnecessary drama as a result of their suspected involvement. I did not agree with some of the accusations made on the tapes, and that shaped my entire perspective of the show.
In the media today, there is so much perfection. There is so much fake goodness. Sometimes, it is sickening. Yes, God created the world to be sinless. He created a perfect world where we as humans would feel no pain and have no difficulties in life. He created a place where we could walk with Him, and it was utterly mind-blowing.
But then we blew it.
Adam and Eve gave into temptation in the Garden of Eden and sent the world on a downward spiral.
Now, when a human is born, he or she is evil. Totally depraved. Completely broken. Lost.
Without the saving grace of Christ, people cannot even think of being good. Even after the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we cannot be totally good.
That's another reason why Thirteen Reasons Why is such an important show. Yes, it is important for people to see what suicide really and truly looks like from so many perspectives. It is important to see the seriousness behind rape. The content of each tape is incredibly important, and I believe everyone needs to experience it at least once, but the bigger reason why I am so pleased with the show is the fact that there is not any "fake" about the show. Each person is exposed for who they truly are, and I believe that is such a great metaphor for the way that everyone will be exposed on the Day of Judgment for who they truly are inside. Without those tapes, no one would have known why events transpired the way that they did, but since they were released, all those people on them were exposed for who they truly were, and it brought so much shame and fear.
When we are exposed for the sinners we truly are, sure, it's embarrassing, it's shameful, its scary. But you have to be exposed in order to heal. You cannot keep everything bottled up inside because then you'll just explode with emotion.
Exposure is important, and I believe that is one aspect of Thirteen Reasons Why that makes it such an impactful and influential show.
