The Human On The Other Side

It is so easy to hate a screen. It is easy to look at a post from someone with a different political view or a different lifestyle and immediately categorize them as 'the enemy.' Our brains love shortcuts. It’s much faster to label someone as a villain than it is to understand the complex series of life events that led them to their current beliefs. But this 'us versus them' mentality is a massive drain on your mental health. It keeps you in a state of perpetual combat, looking for the next person to disqualify.

When we reduce people to labels, we lose our own sense of nuance. We start to see the world in black and white, which makes us anxious and rigid. Life isn't a superhero movie; it's a messy, grey, complicated drama where most people are just trying their best with the tools they have. This doesn't mean you have to agree with everyone. It doesn't mean you have to tolerate hate. It just means you should remember that there is a nervous system on the other side of that comment.

Think about how much lighter you would feel if you didn't have to carry the weight of hating so many people. When you choose to see the humanity in others—even the ones who frustrate you—you are doing yourself a favor. You are stepping out of the arena of constant judgment. You are allowing yourself to be a person who is curious rather than a person who is certain. Curiosity is a much more peaceful way to live than certainty. It leaves room for growth and change.

Try to find the points of connection instead of the points of conflict. You might both love the same music, or both be worried about your futures, even if you have different ideas about how to fix them. Recognizing our shared humanity is the only way we are going to survive this polarized era without losing our minds. Choose nuance over noise. It’s better for your brain, and it’s better for the world. We are all more than our worst takes.