Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Culture, England, Mum, Mum & Dad, Social Divide
I’ve talked a lot over the years about a lesson my Mum drilled into me – ‘care about what others care about’.
Looking back, that lesson has played a huge part in my life.
It’s influenced how I do my job.
It’s shaped how I work with others.
It’s encouraged me where I have chosen to live.
I say this because recently I saw a photo that stopped me in my tracks.
It was this …
For me, that sums up everything wrong with society right now.
Selfishness over selflessness.
Of course it’s always been that way, but right now the division within society is insane.
In the past people at least pretended to care about others, but not any more.
We hear so many talk about the loss of community but witness more and more only caring about things that directly affect them.
Or said another way, acting in a way that is the absolute opposite of community.
Of course, a big part of this is because of how many governments behave and act.
Creating policies that actively divide a population.
Forcing an attitude of selfish survival.
Right now, the UK government has to be one of the worst at doing this.
Pandemics.
Poverty.
Wars.
Unemployment.
Energy prices out of control.
Inflation at levels not seen in 40 years.
Schools underfunded and uncared for.
Youth with less opportunities and hope in generations.
And yet, if you watch their reactions and responses, it seem their attitude is to either turn a blind eye or blame everyone else for what is going on.
That’s right, the people who are supposed to represent us, prefer to divide us.
Of course times are tough.
I appreciate there is no silver bullet to sort it.
But cultivating an attitude that if it doesn’t happen to you it either doesn’t happen to anyone or the people it is happening to, somehow deserve it … is utterly destructive.
Humanity is stronger and able to deal with more when it is united and compassionate.
A nation is stronger when everyone feels they are seen, heard, valued and educated.
That we continue to think the structures that got us in this mess will get us out of it, is mad.
Which is why the older I get, the more grateful I am to my Mum … because when you care about what others care about, you don’t just gain understanding, you build community.