I don't know what you are going through
We humans are rather social creatures. For the most part we like being with other humans and interacting. There are humans we would rather not interact with but we put a good face on it and are polite at least.
But in many ways we are all alone. And in that I mean how I act or react to something is going to be different than how you, dear reader, experience the very same event. My life experience is different from yours and that shapes how I see the world. I'm not saying that it is better or worse just different.
There are things that I am never going to experience but I can at least empathize with others based on things that have happened in my life. But there are some things that, as much as I want to understand and empathize, I just can't. I know I will never really understand what is it like to be profiled even after being on the no-fly list for a while.
Recently there has been a bit of a boom on the Internet in the sci-fi community. Words were said that cannot be taken back even though they were erased since there are ways of pulling them up with the Internet way back machine. Things were said in the heat of the moment and gut reactions were the response. There was some tries at rational discussion but it broke down pretty quickly under the weight of some well know (and not so well known) trolls and trouble makers losing us the voice of rational thought. I am not going to get into the right and wrong about the situation and if you haven't a clue what I am talking about don't worry.
I think that honestly South Park summed it up when Stan said to Token that he finally gets it that he doesn't get it. To which Token tells him that he does finally get it. We have no idea how our words and choice of words effect others. We try not to step on toes and sometime inadvertently we stomp on them with out knowing we did. And then we are surprised of the reaction and get defensive rather than saying we are sorry because we can't believe that what we said was taken like that.
But then my experience is not yours and my reaction is not going to be yours. That which you might find offensive I might not see as such. And things that you think are innocuous might just push my buttons. Because each of us are each unique individuals with our own history and experiences. And sometimes I think that gets lost in the discussion.
I am grateful for empathy.
But in many ways we are all alone. And in that I mean how I act or react to something is going to be different than how you, dear reader, experience the very same event. My life experience is different from yours and that shapes how I see the world. I'm not saying that it is better or worse just different.
There are things that I am never going to experience but I can at least empathize with others based on things that have happened in my life. But there are some things that, as much as I want to understand and empathize, I just can't. I know I will never really understand what is it like to be profiled even after being on the no-fly list for a while.
Recently there has been a bit of a boom on the Internet in the sci-fi community. Words were said that cannot be taken back even though they were erased since there are ways of pulling them up with the Internet way back machine. Things were said in the heat of the moment and gut reactions were the response. There was some tries at rational discussion but it broke down pretty quickly under the weight of some well know (and not so well known) trolls and trouble makers losing us the voice of rational thought. I am not going to get into the right and wrong about the situation and if you haven't a clue what I am talking about don't worry.
I think that honestly South Park summed it up when Stan said to Token that he finally gets it that he doesn't get it. To which Token tells him that he does finally get it. We have no idea how our words and choice of words effect others. We try not to step on toes and sometime inadvertently we stomp on them with out knowing we did. And then we are surprised of the reaction and get defensive rather than saying we are sorry because we can't believe that what we said was taken like that.
But then my experience is not yours and my reaction is not going to be yours. That which you might find offensive I might not see as such. And things that you think are innocuous might just push my buttons. Because each of us are each unique individuals with our own history and experiences. And sometimes I think that gets lost in the discussion.
I am grateful for empathy.