Why are we so afraid?

Why are we so afraid?

I’ve always thought, how brave people were back then to stand up for what they think is right. I’m much comfortable sitting behind a screen, sharing, standing on a podium and making people listen. But I would never result to violence. It simply just isn’t me. I however think about the suffragettes for example and the amazing women behind the movement, how they stood up for the inequality that they were experiencing, sexual abuse, unfair treatment and the responsibilities imposed on them by society, simply because they were female.

We have come a long way from how matters are discussed, but until now, women still face the oppression from men who think they are better than them, or by their peers who are jealous of them. It’s difficult being beautiful as well, because you’re sexualised by the opposite sex, undermined by your colleagues and thwarted by your female equals. This is a common phenomenon that occurs everywhere. My question is why do we hate? 

Women are supposed to empower other women, we aren’t supposed to be starting cat fights over who is more beautiful than the other. On the contrary, we should be supporting them. I hate to say that I have met a lot of people who use their beauty to their favour, getting what they want mainly because they are genetically gifted, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is the same. I think in terms of success, people should support other people and not feel jealous of them, if anything, we should seek to assist. We are nobody without our support network, be it our friends, family or strangers. You never know when the next opportunity would arrive and you should be out there trying to make a difference.

You see, for me, I have no idea how to start a movement, how to make change, I don’t have a clue because I never thought I could change the world, although I always believed I could. The thing about success or even being remembered is doing things that other people won’t do. Doing things without thinking about the consequences per se, but rather focusing on your goals and the point you’re out to make. Sure, you may get into trouble. You may even get into jail. But, why are we so worried that we would be jailed or faced with difficulties if that is really what we stand for? If that is really what is correct. For example, in North Korea, you’re executed for even watching foreign media, but why is it so bad? It’s the dictatorship of course, but why are we so afraid? Why are we constantly worried about what others would say? Why don’t we stand up? Why do we accept?

There is this interesting thing about comfort, we don’t want to be challenged, we want things to be stable, we don’t want to get into trouble. But, what are we so afraid of? Why are we so afraid? Is it the human condition, to stay safe? To remain unharmed and also to remain a bystander? Why are we so opposed to refugees, why are we so opposed to poverty? Why are we so offended? Why do we treat people differently based on their status? Why do we hug someone who is a celebrity, but shun those that need us? Why do we care so much about perfection but cringe at the look of flaws? Why do we pretend to be perfect? 

Who are we?

Yes, say it. Maybe we just don’t care about what doesn’t affect us? But how are we able to live, knowing that someone else’s mother is crying? How can we live knowing that we would never let our own mother go through what other people are going through, but we don’t care about others, only because we don’t know them? Lives lost is not a human condition, especially not because of war or poverty. It’s something that we as human beings have conditioned ourselves to be okay with. Of course, sickness, and old age take lives, but even then, we are sad, if it is of our loved ones. So, why do we not care about those who really need to be cared for? Why do we impose on ourselves this “Human condition” where acceptance is of higher priority especially in countries where death takes place on a daily basis due to a regimental force that oppresses them on a daily belief? Why do we allow this? Why are we so afraid of free movement? Why are we so afraid that people are coming over and taking our jobs?

Why? Shouldn’t everyone have the right to improve their lives? You and I, we were born in a country, completely out of chance and this determines our nationality and explicitly how we’re treated in life. I didn’t choose to be brown, to have dark hair, or to have brown eyes, but I do. This is my genetics, there is nothing I can do to change it, neither do I want to change it. I don’t want people looking at me and thinking, “Why is she here?”. I want to be able to live freely, travel to anywhere in the world and have the equal opportunity that everyone has. So, for them, for people who don’t even have documentations to prove that they are from a certain country, imagine the heartache, the oppression, the feeling of outcast that they have on a daily basis. You don’t belong anywhere, you aren’t given the opportunity. You think you’re out of the hell hole, but the new hell you’re put in is of the looks of disgust and dissatisfaction like you’re some kind of leach, sucking the happiness out of them, when really all you want is to live.

You and I, we’re cowards. We truly are. We’ve never done anything in our lives to change what we think is wrong. Many of us have even stood as bystanders when watching injustice unfold. But, I don’t think I will stand for it anymore. I will not allow people to be treated unfairly around me and I will also fight for human rights if it means it would be the end of me. It’s better to stand for something than to not. It’s better to have an opinion than to go with the flow. Life is too short to think. Do what you love and if it hurts you, let the pain strengthen your belief. If every great men and women were to have given up, we would have never known their names. Maybe I’d end up to be a writer, but that’s my fight. The pen is mightier than the sword anyway. We have our way of showing solidarity and the best way I know of doing it is by writing. So, I will write what I think and not think of the consequences anymore.

Today especially is the first time I ever stood up for myself. I was walking towards the train station at the airport and someone said excuse me and I didn't know where it was coming from so, I was kind of hovering in the middle of the two lanes. Instead of saying thanks, he said, "What the fuck? You choose one side not walk in the middle" and if it was any other time I would have stayed quiet, but this time I said, "Yeah, well, you don't have to be so rude, for fuck's sake" and continued on. As small as it seems, I would never speak up for myself but this time, I just didn't care and I was prepared to defend myself if he were to be violent. But he wasn't, but I could see a shift in his behaviour in a way that he did feel scared. Sorry, but bullies need to be told off. Otherwise, they would think their behaviour is acceptable, which in any way, it isn't!!

Till my next post. xx