My comment on Washington Post Facebook article about a violent “air rage” attack in an airplane:
“America has become a uber violent nation that is proud of its rudeness. Teachers being attacked, racism and antisemitism attacks common & violence the main ingredients in all your popular media. Mass shootings are normal. No respect for law and order, or kindness, civility. Put this person on a no fly list and please start changing your culture.”(Haha I was pretty fed up when writing this but I get where I was coming from.)
I find posting these kind of thoughts are unpopular and I’m sometimes treated like a crank for having them. Being cool and fitting in is everything in our culture, and those who don’t are put down brutally in one form or another. But our status quo is too often one of violence, bullying, hate so I am proud of myself for refusing to conform to that.
We all want world peace, love and kindness but live in a culture to whom “Punch today in the face” is viewed as an inspirational comment and people, media use extremely violent phrases to explain shock or disappointment ( “like a punch in the gut”, a “slap in the face”, etc)
If violence is normalized, it will be normal. Its definitely prevalent in media and arts. Ads, movies, tv, even PBS shows have become increasingly violent, keeping up with far and low attitudes and a limited view of life.
If you want peace, live peacefully. Live a vegan, low waste, kind, pleasant and courteous life. Live and let live. Be powerful in your activism, direct and don’t back down but never be violent. Be peaceful in your thinking, actions and lifestyle, in our soul.
Eating animals is extremely violent. Destroying nature is violent. Today’s entertainment, language is extremely violent. Waste, apathy, greed, perversion, crime, hate are all the results of extreme violence and its normalization in culture. If we want a better world and culture, a vegan world, be peaceful, and communicate and speak peacefully. It’s not weak. It’s the definition of true strength, the basis of true power and the one thing that enables hope, love, joy and wholeness and health.
Peace and kindness can heal and fix us, our society and world. Give peace a chance and help it by supporting peacefulness and calling out violence when you hear it, see it or read it.
