***This post is not meant to offend or criticize anyone.
The other day, I was in the car.
And we were talking about how the people on foot were walking too slow when crossing the street. It was funny because when we’re on foot, we complain about the cars going too fast.
It occured to me that irrespective of all the positions we’ve been in, we always find ourselves condeming those who are not like us.
Rich vs. Poor.
Colored vs. Non-Colored.
Religious vs. Non-Religious.
Old vs. Young.
Masculine vs. Feminine.
And the list could go on for a million miles.
A while ago there was a video someone sent me.
(Note that I don’t own the video and I don’t know where it’s from but I intend absolutely no copyright infringement).
So who shook it?
Now, we are not ants.
We are human beings meant to capable of compassion.
But as I learned in my senior year Psychology class in high school, being human, also means, we are fundamentally afraid of those not like us. And we remain afraid unless taught otherwise.
I usually don’t write about politically-oriented things unless it’s for school. Primarily because, as much as I love learning about politics I hate getting involved. Because somewhere along the way, the world decided that having a political opinion meant you had to be offending or critisizing someone.
I’m not.
Because I’m not writing from a political p.o.v. Instead I’m simply voicing this concern with psychological curiosity.
I think it’s interesting that our collective nature tells each and every single one of us to fear those who are different. But whether or not we express our prejudices is based on how we are nurtured.
With that, I make the conclusion that perhaps it was not an individual that shook the jar. Maybe it’s that collective human nature. That part of our brain that says “Different = Danger”… Maybe it’s that that shook it…
So the question changes… Instead of “Who Shook The Jar?” I want to ask, “Will We Stop Shaking?”
