A Society Divided: Time to Value Humanity Over Rigid Beliefs
It’s a trying time in our world. The influx of information and speculation surrounding the covid pandemic is one of the most divisive issues of our lifetime. A majority of people believe in the mainstream narrative, that the virus is a legitimate threat. Vaccination is necessary to move forward as a society. This will keep all of our members safe, and allow businesses to open and activities to resume as normal. A significant minority, on the other hand, are skeptical of the origin of the virus. They question the true nature and extent of the danger and alternate motives for shutting down society. They also question the necessity of an experimental vaccine when weighing the risk/benefit analysis. It is time that we begin to value humanity over rigid beliefs. We must recognize the importance of staying open-minded and questioning.
We’re Not All “In This Together”
We all have a gut feeling about which narrative is closer to the truth. Our individual experiences during the pandemic have a huge influence, as it’s affected everyone so differently. We are not truly “in this together” as many would have it. We didn’t all go through the same types of losses. Not everyone is in the same position financially, emotionally, mentally, and socially. That goes for both sides. We don’t truly understand what someone on the “other side” has gone through. Yet, we continue to cling to our inclinations and attack people who don’t share the same viewpoints.
The reality is that we cannot solidly prove the truth of what is actually going on either way. We may say that we believe the science. However, science can be manipulated and used to the advantage of big pharma and the government. We don’t know what’s truly going on behind the scenes. Even people on the “inside” may not have the true picture. It’s a terrifying thought. We can’t prove that there is a larger agenda. Yet so many things do not add up when we look at the handling of the pandemic.
A Society Divided: Time to Value Humanity
Whether the mainstream media is accurate or not, we have no way of proving our beliefs definitively. That is why I refuse to cling to one side or the other. I don’t fully trust the government. I believe that they are just figureheads of the true source of power, the global elites, bankers, and pharmaceutical companies. It is likely that their influence is not as extensive as people believe it to be. I don’t think that this is only about a virus, and I don’t think the virus evolved naturally. I don’t trust that a larger agenda for even more government power and control isn’t at play here.
However, I don’t know any of this as fact, even though it’s my gut feeling. And I do know that healthcare workers will have a different story to tell. There is a virus, regardless of how it got here. People are dying from it, with many families losing loved ones. We need to be open to others’ interpretations and stories because our experiences are so different. To acknowledge the other side is a decent thing to do. It is time to value humanity first and foremost, rather than the hostility and judgment that both sides have shown.
Us vs Them Mentality
Kiva Bottero at themindfulword.org believes that this hostility has been escalating. “Extreme thinking has been growing in recent years, as we become a more divided society. In the past, there was one person in each camp and 98 in between. Now there are five in each camp and 90 in between. And those 10 are emboldened as their numbers grow. As they gain more numbers, they grow louder and suck more of the middle onto their side. They’re quick to disrespect others’ views, and they’re growing less tolerant of any views that aren’t their own. What we end up with is a society that keeps on growing its polar opposites and has a shrinking middle. A society that’s quick to adopt a warfare mentality of ‘us vs. them’” (https://www.themindfulword.org/2020/openness-and-respect-covid/). We have perhaps never seen this mentality as pronounced as with the covid pandemic.
Making the Choice That We Believe is Right
I am not arrogant enough to say for certain that I am right. Therefore, I am doing what society is making it necessary to do. I got vaccinated and got my teens vaccinated so that we can continue to be functioning members of society. I can remain employed, travel, and go to indoor venues. We have some friends and family who would not feel comfortable around us. I wanted my teens to participate fully in society, with no interruptions to their sports and schooling. Most importantly, I want to preserve their mental health.
Did I do it for the larger good of society? No. I can’t bring myself to believe that unvaccinated people are that much of a threat. I see it as a different type of flu shot. No one cared whether I got it or not in previous seasons. This is different. Fear-mongering and mainstream media have made this different, so it’s been made necessary to play along. On the other hand, I also don’t believe that the vaccine will cause me any harm. I think it might even just be a placebo effect – used as a tool to divide society, but with questionable efficacy. I have a strong immune system and I’m a firm believer in natural immunity.
Why Are These Beliefs So Rigid in So Many?
Why do many people on either side hold on so tightly to these beliefs? Is it because they started with this opinion so now feel embarrassed to admit they could be wrong? Do they feel like if they’ve come this far they have to continue to believe in their cause? Is it that they truly believe that they are on the “right” side? So they are obligated to warn others and change their minds? We should love and forgive them and move on with other topics. It is time to value humanity over being “right.”
Time To Value Our Humanity Before We Lose It Altogether
The only thing that is certain and clear is that this concept of “sides” is calling our humanity into question. It is making us blind to the possibility that we could be wrong. It is dividing us like never before and causing rifts in friendships and within families. If only more people could be open-minded, as I feel that I am. I’m not arrogant enough to think that I have all the answers. Is arrogance the problem with these people who have taken a clear stance, although they can’t prove a thing?
It’s almost like one huge social experiment, to see if we can come through this with our humanity intact. That’s what is important to me. Even though you have a gut feeling or strong belief, put yourself in someone else’s perspective for a moment. We must stop turning on our fellow humans. We may realize too late that this was the true purpose of the exercise all along.
