“We always see our worst selves. Our most vulnerable selves. We need someone else to get close enough to tell us we’re wrong. Someone we trust.”
― David Levithan, Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List
As 2020 heads toward the finish line, many thoughts crept upon me that what I have been doing during this year. Struggles, challenges, joys, and accomplishments. But overall, this year was an unusual and difficult year in every way imaginable.
For me personally, due to the virus situation, I was allowed to work from home entirely. And thanks to my understanding supervisors and colleagues, I was able to cope with my coding job with their assists.
The next year, however, could be a lot harder and challenging considering my next assignments. Regardless of my situation, I, for now, appreciate my employment and the environment where I can grow as a developer. But at the same, my thoughts go to those who face even difficult situations by losing their employment. I know the full range of our present reality continuously challenges us to fear and panic and fall into despair.
What’s wrong with being vulnerable?
Yet, we have to deal with this unfairness of life – the unfairness of having to deal with challenges, uncertainty, loneliness, and upset. But our world has created a barrage of obstacles to make it hard to share our true feelings, emotions, and vulnerability with others. The vulnerability lets us have a chance to expose ourselves emotionally to others, helping us to build and maintain meaningful connections in our lives. But somewhat we have been taught to overcome our challenges and avoid being vulnerable from an early age. But is that true? Why can’t we expose ourselves to others? And why does our world make it significantly hard to be vulnerable? So, today’s my question is: What’s wrong with being vulnerable?
In a previous article, Me Vs. Capitalism, I mentioned Satoshi Uematsu, the murder of nineteen disabled people in a mass stabbing attack in Kanagawa, Japan, on 26 July 2016. And his major motivation was based on his Hitler-like belief that those who are disabled and vulnerable are useless and should be wiped out from our world for the sake of the efficiency of the global economy.
Are we secretly biased against those who are disabled or socially vulnerable?
Despite the viciousness of the crime, it never came up on the political discussion or became a national debate. What does it mean? Do we implicitly accept his crime? Are we secretly biased against those who are disabled or socially vulnerable? And most importantly, why can’t we accept the diversity of intelligence and vulnerability?
Maybe our world is falling apart, pieces by pieces. Since the wave of capitalism has been swelling around the world, especially for the past five centuries, humanity has been exposed to competition. Competition to be stronger than others to beat them up. Accordingly, parents raise their kids to be strong and smart because they learned the hard way that they would be overwhelmed without competitive advantages. But why don’t they raise their kids to be kind instead? Why can’t they raise their kids to be sensitive to the emotions and needs of others?
When it comes to the disabled, despite their inability to voice their thoughts due to their physical restrictions, they may whisper their appreciation in their heart. Imagine a situation where you have a disabled friend and visit him/her once a week. “Oh hey you. Thanks for stopping by! Look forward to seeing you again next week.” They might whisper in their heart like that, but their physical conditions prevent them to speak out their thoughts. Why can’t we try to listen to voiceless voice?
The world where the vulnerable can live without worrying about exposing their vulnerability is a livable world for all.
Over the course of time, we somewhat lose our ability to sense the emotions and needs of others. Ideally, vulnerable people should be able to live their lives by exposing their vulnerability to others. Just let them be as they are. This world, however, requires us to be competitive and strong. But don’t you think it makes us feel like we’re suffocating by living like that? The world where the vulnerable can live without worrying about exposing their vulnerability is a livable world for all.
Conclusion
Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, I may face some challenges I never thought I’d face next year. I might get devastated and touch rock bottom. Still, it’s not the end of the world. My life goes on and there’s always tomorrow.
Regardless of the current circumstances of the world, let’s keep the faith and hope for a better tomorrow. And don’t forget to have compassion for yourself and others. Remind this to yourself: Kindness always makes a difference.
Finally, here are some shots of my favorite items on my desk. Cheers!!
Via: My Question Life