My Most Valuable Reflection

Dramatic title, no? Well, this post will be somewhat of a confession, followed by expression of regret, and it all culminating in a hopeful conclusion. There's no guarantee that this path will remain unvisited by me in the future, just the hope that it is avoided for want of a better way. Enjoy.

First and foremost, an apology - to be taken in earnest - is due to those who I may have offended by any sort of anti-hipster sentiments I've expressed of late. I don't think the people close to me associate themselves all too closely with that label in an explicit way, and therefore may have remained free of offense, yet an apology is due nonetheless. It's wrong to spread hate, in any degree or manifestation, against others. It's more wrong to spread this hate without purpose or reason.

To allow oneself to be so affected by the dress and customs to such a degree that it develops strong distaste is wrong. It's easy to do when those people are in direct contact with you - when they're in your city or town - but convenience is no reason to get carried away with the spread of hatred. As I say before, hatred may itself fall on a spectrum, and even the most minute manifestation of distaste, if nurtured in similar fashion, may itself be a degree of hatred. There is no objective difference between hating a man for the colour of his skin than hating for his dress. There's no enlightenment in judging your behaviours as superior and thus drawing a negative comparison to all others who don't fit your paradigm. It is all wrong. I am guilty of this, and for this, I apologize.

How did I realize, then, that the way I've been acting is wrong? Simple, it was through song that I considered the duality of my behaviour; the hypocrisy of my heart was plain to see when I sat down enjoying the amazing music of people who I would have previously characterized in a negative way. Sitting here, coming increasingly close to a place where my spirit is lifted; I realized that I could respect these people for their abilities. I realized that I ought to love them for much more than what they may bestow upon me. I ought to be the man I aspire to be, I ought to live a life of love rather than a life of aspiration to love. Capacity alone is static; it is through action that one truly defines their limits.

It is extremely easy to see the world in terms of a selfish subjectivity. It's easy to see myself as rational, correct, both an agent and a victim; to become all sides in an attempt to justify my actions as the default position. Yet, this sort of "me" thinking limits my mind in its ability to recognize when I perpetrate an injustice on all of the "you"s. What does it matter if you dress, talk, think, and feel differently than I? Unique is not something to be feared or hated, but rather embraced. While we share differences, we all desire acceptance and love. This is the human condition. The goal, therefore, is not to sort people into categories but to embrace people in a blind way. The goal is to see through the differences, as deep or shallow as they may lay, and see the common desire. The goal, however, is not abstract. It is realized in every glance, every exchange, and every moment through which you perceive an insignificant interaction has passed. Each opportunity is yours to decide how you want to react to the varieties of our world.

We are empowered to resist the ways of the world. We accept our position in a flawed, broken, hurting, unjust world, but this acceptance doesn't need to limit our ability to seek change. It begins with thought. Conscious reflection on life, on the direction we walk and the repercussions of our steps helps us define a path. The danger isn't the choice; the danger is the perception of helplessness. Apathy stems from this feeling that no matter what, there will not be change. Apathy then spreads from isolated incidents to a way one deals with all situations. It infects the mind to ignore its ability to influence the world, and coaxes the individual toward blind acceptance of the status quo. Why we would ever accept our world as an eternally broken place confounds me.

Though we care less, we still care and maintain the earth we inhabit. What happens when we stop caring all together? The day thought dies in the individual, that very condition uniting us ceases to carry importance. These isolated incidents of hatred for me, while small and relatively insignificant, may very well help lead me on the path of an apathetic existence. Yet, there is hope in my ability to resist, my ability to look beyond those markers I've been conditioned to respond to, and to accept all people. The alternative is grim, the results of which would not be seen until change is all but impossible. If it starts with one reflection, it should continue to carry through all other decisions till each and every thought about the way I want to live my life is displayed through the way I'd already been living it.