We are becoming desensitised at an alarming rate.
We live in a world of famine, war, torture and cruelty, but it seems to pass over our heads. We are presented with images of starving kids on our televisions since childhood. We are told about mere skeletons of people who are dying horrific deaths since a young age. We are taught about war and famine when we were in primary school. We live in an age of mind blowing special effects and films and video games. We grow up with violent cartoons and toys modelled from weapons.
How much of this does it take for a human to lose their sense of humanity? How much more do we need to forget that we're all people?
We scorn Hitler for the mass murder of Jews, gypsies and the disabled. They're humans too, of course, and he deserves one of the worst names in history.
But who's to say we're not as bad on an individual level?
I watched as a Hungarian reporter tripped a man fleeing from a war torn country with a little girl in his arms.
Just because he was Syrian.
People are barricading their countries from refugees.
Why? Financial reasons, legal reasons, cultural reasons.
Is this good enough?
For people who are so desperate, no. We are putting our interests first and putting so many people's lives at risk.
I understand such a mass movement of people will cause problems, it's inevitable.
But refugees are people. They do not deserve to be treated like dogs, or to be hearded like cattles. They do not deserve to be in danger, and we have to right to force them to die, either by staying in a war ridden area, or by trying to smuggle into another country.
People have been murdered, drowned, starved and suffocated.
So why are we better than Hitler? Where has human empathy gone?
An organisation set up by Jim Breen, where thousands of people cycle through Ireland every year, to break the cycle of suicide. Cleverly placed pun. Today, the lovely Mr Breen came to my school and talked to all seven hundred plus of us. In the back, wearing a disgustingly bright orange shirt in support (and feeling decidedly Dutch), I was struggling not to cry. Not that he was being morbid. He didn't delve into details of his depression, or any gruesome details of suicide. He spoke in such a way that was amazing. He spoke to us in a way that reached all levels of understanding in relation to mental health. He was able to educate those who have never experienced a mental monster, without boring them, or frightening them off the topic. Though, even with such sensitivity, he was able to touch those who had suffered mental illness. It was like a little nod to us. We knew we were understood, that he understood. For me, that is always extremely emotional. For someone to understa...
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