Do It For The Plot

The people that love peace need to learn to organize themselves as well as the people who love war. – Martin Luther King Jr.

I don’t really believe in holding back my thoughts or opinions. As I’ve matured, I’ve gotten better at being more strategic and thoughtful about what I say, how I say it, and when I say it but one way or another, I’m going to say it. It’s like I can’t rest until I do. I’ve struggled with that pretty much all my life. Definitely not an easy thing to deal with, but I didn’t ask to be a professional yapper. The lifestyle found me.

Isn’t that part of what’s wrong with society, though? The right people aren’t talking enough. In part, because they respect boundaries, acknowledge differences of opinion, and understand that arguing with someone who is set in their ways is often a waste of time and energy. But has this practical way of thinking made it too easy for the wrong people to dominate conversations, creating whatever narrative suits them best? A prime example: the total mind f* that is our current U.S. political system.

“Be the bigger person.”

“Know when to walk away.”

Of course, when it comes to de-escalating tensions and avoiding violence, these strategies can be beneficial. But in other areas of life? Not so much. Too often, a person’s attempt at being mature and avoiding further conflict leads to the other party falsely believing they were right or that they “won” the exchange.

Maybe we should start speaking up more. Maybe we should be more assertive about our beliefs, values, and human rights. Because while one side continues to take the “higher road,” the other only grows more emboldened. And each time we step back, we push ourselves further away from progress so far back that I fear we will continue to lose so much of the progress that took decades to gain. Have we lost sight how much true sacrifice those gains took? Surely we have because how can we be so docile in things today? Where is the clear view of the path forward?

Voicing your concerns and opinions in socially acceptable “safe spaces” is valuable. It will always matter. But more often than not, those spaces are filled with people who already share the same beliefs and perspectives. It’s the mixed spaces that present the real opportunity either for opposing sides to gain a better understanding of each other or, at the very least, to start chipping away at the false confidence that has been inflated by bigotry, sexism, and racism.

If a Caucasian male can feel comfortable asking an African American woman unprovoked and in a professional setting what she plans to do with her “extra thousands of dollars” from a president convicted of multiple crimes, shouldn’t that same woman feel just as comfortable asking how he’s made it this far in life being so gullible? So idiotic? Why are we still allowing one group to carry the burden of politeness and decency while the other is not held to the same standard? That hasn’t gotten us very far.

What’s that saying? “It’s no fun when the rabbit’s got the gun.” Maybe it’s time the rabbits stop being the “bigger person” and start fighting back.

Aren’t you tired of working twice as hard… getting half of the reward… and then triple the disrespect?

I know I am.

Remember some of the best stories are still unwritten so live boldly, embrace the unexpected, and make sure your life story is worth the MF plot!