Ominous presences such as bullying, hate crimes, war, and violence cast a dark shadow that looms over today’s society. The negative discourse that is apparent today is a never ending cycle of hate and destruction. In a society where violence is an everyday occurrence, how can we stop the hate and the desensitization? This is a question that I feel has become more prominent in this modern day and age, and a question that I believe, needs to be addressed.
With usage of the internet more common in this modern day and age, it has become easier than ever for the public to voice their opinions towards any given subject anonymously. While this anonymity may have benefits like freedom of voice without judgement, and the ability to feel secure in a cyberspace, people may use this anonymity to harmfully respond to any topic of their choosing. In my own experience, I have found that this anonymity has allowed more negativity to arise on social media. Perhaps this lack of moral responsibility has made many people feel comfortable and secure in expressing their hatred. What ever happened to if you do not have something nice to say, do not say it all? I find it saddening that people would rather impose negativity on each other rather than keeping their criticism to themselves. In my own experience, I have noticed that I am more likely to see someone abusing the use of social media to direct a hateful comment towards another person, rather than a positive one, which is fairly unfortunate in itself.
Along those very same lines, desensitization has also become extremely apparent in today’s society. People have become deeply accustomed to violence and therefore recognize it as a normal. This can be attributed to violent films and everyday occurrences of violent acts that take place in our society. For example, in the United States, according to the Mass Shooting tracker, there has been over 285 mass shootings this year alone. The unfortunate nature of these increased statistics is within the notion that many Americans recognize these shootings as “events that happen” and “events that will happen again.” From what I can see, many people are viewing these violent acts as “normal” and perhaps even inevitable. Mass murder is not normal. The very idea that the public has become so accustomed to these horrific acts is a horrifying concept in itself. If we live in a world where violence is a normality, will the violence ever end?
Such values have taken its toll on children and parents alike. I believe these social boundaries have adapted to less favorable conditions due to a direct increase in negativity. I have found that many teens use social media as a platform for cyber-bullies to torment their victims. Because what is posted on social media usually presents few consequences, I can substantiate that many feel contented with posting potentially degrading and dreadful things on the internet. In fact, the process of desensitization has made cyberbullying seem less like a real issue and more like a game. The rules of the game include posting hurtful comments anonymously, which makes it impossible to get caught. When parents are not aware of their children participating in anonymous bullying, it makes it much more convenient for their children to hide. If people grow up living in a world without consequences, who is going to tell them to stop?
It is time to enact a change. The world should no longer be ridden with violence and hate. It is time to create a brighter and more positive world. I believe that in order to achieve a more peaceful world, everyone must do their part to not let anonymity tempt us into freely expressing hateful comments without understanding the moral implications that may arise. With this, we can make clear assurances that violence is not a mere normality. It is time to make peace the norm and create a world where we can love one another in a more positive light.