(no subject)
A great post on the "bystander effect" from Meloukhia at this ain't livin'. TAL is really becoming one of my favourite blogs--pretty much every post has hit home in some way.
This one in particular, I think is really powerful. Because I've been a bystander, and I feel horribly guilty about situations where I cold have done something, but instead have remained silent.
Basically, from a very young age, I've been a bit of a doormat. This is largely due to the complexities of my relationship with my mother, which i won't get into right now. But suffice to say, I've always avoided making waves, or letting my voice be heard unless I was fairly confident I was saying something people agreed with.
And you know, I still think that way. I still get into weird, self-censoring mental habits. The difference is, this past year I've started to question that. I've started to wonder why it is so much of my self-esteem is wrapped up in other people's approval, and I've started to try and speak up even if I'm not guaranteed that support.
It's still ridiculously hard. But it's also really important, I feel. Because if you don't speak up against injustice--even if you personally feel whatever is going on is wrong, wrong, wrong!--then you're helping to perpetuate it.
And then, everyone loses.
This one in particular, I think is really powerful. Because I've been a bystander, and I feel horribly guilty about situations where I cold have done something, but instead have remained silent.
Basically, from a very young age, I've been a bit of a doormat. This is largely due to the complexities of my relationship with my mother, which i won't get into right now. But suffice to say, I've always avoided making waves, or letting my voice be heard unless I was fairly confident I was saying something people agreed with.
And you know, I still think that way. I still get into weird, self-censoring mental habits. The difference is, this past year I've started to question that. I've started to wonder why it is so much of my self-esteem is wrapped up in other people's approval, and I've started to try and speak up even if I'm not guaranteed that support.
It's still ridiculously hard. But it's also really important, I feel. Because if you don't speak up against injustice--even if you personally feel whatever is going on is wrong, wrong, wrong!--then you're helping to perpetuate it.
And then, everyone loses.