Hate. We see it in the media, in politics and in dialogue with our peers. Hate is a force that has slowly crept its way into our hearts and behavior, and we may not even recognize it. Even though it may seem that our world is magnificent, there are still negatives that threaten to break up friendships and compromises every day.
It’s certain that each person in the world has experienced hate in some way or another. While unwelcomed, hate prevails on the daily. As citizens of our community, it is up to us to recognize this hate and refuse to fall subject to its binds. However, to combat hate with love we must first diagnose where the hate is coming from.
We see hate constantly in media. Current events and newsworthy tidbits appear on Twitter just minutes after they happen. Consequently, many of these controversial topics stir up waves of emotions in a matter of seconds. Also, since media is a form of self-expression, many people feel free to proclaim their negative or hurtful comments or believes right on the site itself.
We also see hate projected in politics. Clearly, on a campus full of eligible voters with big opinions I’m sure each person at BGSU has heard countless nothings about the upcoming election. We could talk ourselves sick about who of our options would lead a better presidency, however one undeniable fact remains from every single candidate: the largest form of persuasion in politics is attacking the other side. We see countless sayings, advertisements, radio commercials, signs and a clear majority of them are portray the counterpart in a negative light.
With all of this societal influence demonstrating examples of hate it is easy to likely fall subject to being hateful ourselves. We have grown accustomed to loving each other with insults and rude comments. While we may not realize what we are saying or we may say it jokingly, the fact of the matter is that our comments can hurt. Even if they are said with good intentions, it is easy to misinterpret words that are loving but concealed with hate.
The main point to consider is that even though society and media promotes an aura of hate and condones the use of hateful language, it does not mean that it must be the norm. There is value in showing kindness to one another and treating each other with respect. Nothing should be fake or mushy all the time. Sarcasm is a powerful tool, and can lighten any mood when used properly. But too often as a community we can go about in a hateful way and sincerity and kindness seems to take a back seat.
All too often we justify hurtful words or sayings with “I am just joking”. Because we are joking, we have permission to continue saying hurtful words and that is when we fall subject to the hate society promotes. It is up to each individual to refuse to love one another with hate and allow kindness to control the words we say and the things we do. When we can start treating each other with genuine, unaltered kindness the world can be remarkably sweeter.
