It has always fascinated me how people speak about famous people, politicians, leaders in organizations, livestock judges, and even their neighbors. Many people speak of other people as they know them personally, when they do not know them at all. People speak of others as they have spent their lives together. We sit in judgment of people and their actions online or social media as who they really are in life. That is only who they want you to believe they are in life. I do not know a lot of people.
In my local town, like many others, it has been local election time. With numerous people running for City Council having their signs out with all the smiling faces, they are working to portray that they are the best choice for representing me and my neighbors in our town. With the onset of local elections that means flyers start showing up in the mail and candidates promote what they will do and how they are the best choice. Many take to social media for promotion. Unless you are from a super small town, you rarely know any of the candidates. My current hometown is a little larger. I do not know any of the candidates.
I received a flyer for a person running against a long-standing city council member. It was an oversized postcard with information on the front and back. It had the candidate's name, photo, and what council position they were seeking to win - all there and easy to read. The disturbing part was that the flyer said nothing about what this person would do as a city councilman. There was nothing listing their views, outlook, or how they would make this town better. It was only negative comments, and how you should not vote for their opponent.
What have we come to in this world where we do not have to say what we stand for, and only what we stand against? This flyer had a QR Code to take you to a site with all the “data” that shows how bad this person is so you can judge for yourself. I do not know this person who sent the flyer or the person who they are running against. This is not evolution. It is de-evolution.
Dad and I were at dinner at a small burger joint. One of those where you order at the counter and sit where you would like. Dad chose one of the only available spots at the time. When I arrived after ordering, there were two people at different tables talking and they were not quiet. They were talking about a person who is somewhat of a celebrity. I have no idea who these people were, if they personally knew the celebrity, or how they knew each other. What I do know is what they do not like about the celebrity. I know how they feel about several other issues. They all seem to be mostly negative. Nothing positive. I know of the celebrity they were talking about; I do not know that celebrity personally. I do not know who those people were who were trash talking others.
For full disclosure, I have sat with a group of friends and trash talked people. Mainly people we know and in all honesty, we have said to their face, what we did when they were not there to hear. Most of the time we trash talk each other in the same conversation.
Why do we as humans have such a fascination with people we do not know? Why do we even care what happens to the 9th person kicked off a dating show? Why do we sit and speak of people that we do not know personally like we are lifelong friends? Humans are curious creatures and yearn for more knowledge of all forms. Knowing what other people are doing and how they live their lives is low hanging fruit in the world of knowledge. Since the dawn of time, people have spoken of others as they were best friends and did not know them at all.
As a society, we have to stop electing officials to all offices who judge others and never tell us what they will actually do in office. We also need to start holding those accountable for those that do not follow through on their promises. We need to stop talking about others like we know them, and start showing others what we can do. Being a celebrity is not a good goal for everyone. You all cannot be a tik tok sensation, or an Instagram star. You don’t know any of them and I do not know them either. Being a person of substance who stands for, supports, works in, and promotes an industry means more than 20 celebrities. When you stand for something, people will know you, they will want to know you, and then you will know them as well.
“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” ― Lao Tzu
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