2020.
I’m not a big fan. But not for the reasons you might think.
COVID-19? Just another disease that science and the medical community won’t find a cure for. Cures are far less cost effective than treatments. Also, finding one is no guarantee that it will ever make it to implementation. Same reason as above. Corrupt politicians? That’s redundancy if I even heard it. Civil unrest? Really? Nothing new there. I lived through the sixties, seventies, and eighties.
No. What caused me the most pain this year was realizing the loss of so many people. Friends, family members, people I work with, people I grew up with, went to school with, laughed and cried with. These people did not physically die. But they vanished just the same.
I’m talking about people who were once extremely intelligent, caring, compassionate, sharp thinking, independent, analytical, creative, humorous, kind, rational, problem solving types. They vanished. The shells that remain cannot think for themselves. They believe what strangers on digital displays tell them, without asking questions, without demanding context or intent. They have become reactionary to words and actions without consideration of intent, becoming offended and outraged without rational consideration or discourse.
Many interesting dialogues were had with these people. Disagreements rarely ended with raised voices let alone raised fists or bloodshed. The ability to hear an argument, rationalize it, and respond intelligently without taking offense is the cornerstone of debate. It’s called conversation. Communication. Have we really lost the ability to communicate with each other? Face to face, not looking into a digital display.
How many posts on social media were removed because a simple question degenerated to name calling and worse between friends? Would this happen if the conversation was taking place face to face? I wonder. I can not tell you how much it hurt to see this happen over and over. I wanted to step in and comment to defuse the situation, but I will not engage in reactionary melee with those who get there truth from strangers without applying critical thought. It doesn’t make me right. It just means that only then can I respect that your view is truly yours.
I watched far too many people vanish this year. People I cared about. My wish for 2021 is for those lost people to return and introduce themselves.
P.S. If this offends you in any way, I will not apologize. Instead, please go to the closest mirror and ask your reflection, “Why have you given Dennis so much control over your life that you let him offend you with a few words on a digital display?” Then listen carefully to the answer that you receive and apply that same question to every communication you engage in. Or, send me a message and ask my why. You may find your way back.
Tales From The Hare 