Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Disrespect

So seems this person thought this was funny, well it has gone viral and no one is laughing. They are blowing up her workplace as she was on a trip with them when it happened. (picture and caption viewed from here, news article here)

Too bad the internet allows everyone to see people's mistakes. A friend you can forgive, but a stranger is evil, and on the internet you get to meet millions of strangers. People like strangers because they have no tie to them, no rapport that says we give them the benefit of the doubt, no duty to them to gently correct misbehavior, and all is fair game. Every insult, every slight, every condescending thing, and every person seems to feel the need to tell them what horrible people they are.

I don't know this person, I have no idea the intent, though I would guess it wasn't malicious, and while I am disappointed in the rudeness, I don't think she deserves to be disrespected in return. It means we lack respect.

I am pretty sure she regrets this photo, and things like this have cost people their jobs, caused psychological and emotional trauma that leave the offender scarred and wholly changed for years. Thing is while you'll forget them in days, they may suffer the effects of society's hatred for years. What gives you the right to ruin someone's life? Do we truly feel that one decision should damn a person for ever? And one that, though inappropriate, does not and cannot have an affect on you unless you let it? I don't think it should, because that would mean that our lives, riddled with stupid decisions, mistakes, shortcomings, and failed attempts as they are, ought to condemn us all to never having a second chance, to letting the world mock us, and I don't agree with that. Shame on her for thinking this was funny, but shame on the world for crucifying her for it.

Disrespect often begets disrespect.