What do you stand for?
When I was in high school I had the opportunity to take AP Psychology. I think it meant I had to take one less college credit or something, so I jumped on the opportunity. While I wish I remembered more from the class than watching Lars and the Real Girl, which if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend, plus we all love Ryan Gosling. I also remember the story of Kitty Genovese. Basically, this woman was attacked and murdered in New York in 1964, and out of 38 witnesses who saw or heard something suspicious, none of them called the police. I remember the story well because I remember the theory, Bystander Effect. The Bystander Effect is a psychological theory that states that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when others are present.
Now almost 15 years later, I still can’t get that story or theory out of my head. Because unfortunately, I think this has happened to us collectively as a society. We are so exposed at such a young age to things we don't understand and shouldn't have to understand with this development of social media that I feel as though we have become numb to so much. So my question is what do you stand for? So many people say they stand for change, empowerment, education, but when they are called upon they simply do nothing. If we do nothing then nothing changes and that is the problem. We live in an algorithm-based society where views, shares, likes, saves can make or break someone. I mean for goodness sake at some auditions now they ask you for your Instagram handle and your follower count because apparently the amount of people who follow you directly correlates to how deserving you are? I mean come on people, that is crazy. So I say all this because I'm honestly so tired. I’m tired of going on Instagram and seeing the pretty girls get hundreds of likes, I’m tired of guests not sharing their episodes, I’m tired of when I ask for help no one seems to care. It’s heartbreaking and there are days when I don’t know how much more I can take. I can’t believe this is what society has become. A bystander society where everyone is too selfish or scared to help the people who are asking for help.
So I ask again, what do you stand for?
Love always your Cycle Half,
Emily