Why Is There So Much Rudeness and Hatred? I Dare You...

I see it everyday. Someone posts something on Facebook or Twitter and it never fails. Someone feels the need to make hateful, mean, rude comments. WHY? I have to wonder do these people speak to others like that in their face to face encounters? We all know that SOME do. We are bombarded with the videos of situations getting out of control because someone decided to step over a line. There was a time though, when that behavior was a rarity and not something we would see everyday. I'd like to say I am still shocked by terrible behavior, but the truth is, I am more surprised when I witness decency. 


As bloggers, a lot of us put ourselves out there. Whether it's in the writing or in our photographs. And a lot of us get ripped apart by those with no filter. It has almost become a joke. You hear people say it all the time: "Oh you know Joe. He doesn't have a filter." But does that excuse really fly? I mean does that give anyone a free pass to spew hateful, HURTFUL comments towards another person? There is a difference in being honest with people and being just hateful. Seeing these things happen to others, combines with my already self-conscious mind and makes me even more self-conscious! On one hand I have never cared much what others thought of me, but on the other, I feel like, why invite negativity? Especially from strangers.

Just the other day a fellow blogger had an old post getting lots of attention and page views, which for a blogger is a great thing, but then someone had to make a nasty comment about the way her hands look in the photo!?! I mean really? Did the person not realize those hands belong to a real person. An everyday person that cooks, cleans and does other tasks. You know, someone who has a life and has been through their own struggles. Surely this person doesn't think we bloggers hire models for our "photo shoots". I've seen the same thing happen time after time. People's looks criticized. Hurtful comments about weight. Clothing mocked. hateful words over an opinion. And for what? There is no reason for any of it.

I see people make these comments when it would have been SO easy to just keep scrolling. I am trying to remember when we as a society, jumped the shark. When did common decency not matter anymore. When did it become almost universally acceptable to spew hateful garbage at other people. When did people forget the old adage " If you can't say (or type) something nice, don't say (or type) anything at all"? I try to consider that maybe the person making horrible comments has something going on in their life and perhaps they are overwhelmed or stressed and lashing out. But that can't really be an excuse either. It is understandable, but not an excuse. There is very seldom a reason to drop decency and good manners.

I have turned it over and over in my mind trying to think of a solution. A way for us to return to lifting each other up instead of constantly tearing each other down. Sometimes it seems like it should be so easy, and then there is another barrage of hate and hurt thrown out. It must be done. Somehow we HAVE to reach within and find the better part of ourselves, the better part of US as a community. So I DARE YOU. I dare you to speak (or type) kind words to five people today. Each day. I DARE YOU to spread positive words and light. Only the light will drive the darkness back.

I DARE YOU