We all went through a lot the past couple of months, and some of us had or still have plenty of spare time during this pandemic and quarantine period. Some used it to spend time and reconnect with their families and loved ones, some used it for self-improvement, and helping others in need.
Moreover, I’m sure most of us would agree that there were moments that we used our spare time in “doing nothing” or perhaps being unproductive. For some, “doing nothing” during this period sounds more of a self-care to deal with the stressors that we are facing, and that is absolutely fine and understandable given our current situation.
On the other hand, there are some who feel pressured to be more productive, to remain busy and focused, or to be “involved” in all current issues by expressing their thoughts and opinions. But where is the pressure coming from?
We think and believe that there’s an enormous amount of expectation from others since most of us are at home right now and we have a huge amount of spare time. Hence, some of us feel pressured to do something, to improve something in our lives, or to express our thoughts and opinions about certain issues.
It is totally fine because there are also lots of success stories amidst this quarantine period. Like those individuals who became successful at their businesses after losing their jobs because of this pandemic. Some of them were “pressured” and they used it as a fuel to think, plan, perform, and be at their best. Some used it to spread positivity and educate others. But let us keep in our minds that having an equal amount of time during this pandemic doesn’t mean that we all have equal chances in succeeding in life.
So whether you are using your spare time to relax at home to quiet and purify your mind or you are pressured to be more productive by doing something is absolutely fine as long as it doesn’t bring danger to you and to those people around you.
Another thing that this pandemic brought us aside from pressure, are the fear and anxiety that creeps into our minds because of those fear-inducing news or articles around us. The pandemic itself is a serious problem that we are facing, but the spread of fear and anxiety could be one of the long-term effects of this pandemic.
Also, I’m sure that you too could attest that aside from the pressure, fear and anxiety that this pandemic brought us, there is also one thing that is very alarming and prevalent especially in our country nowadays…
The spread of hate.
Some individuals are easily irritated or angered when things don’t go their way or when their own standards don’t coincide with others. It is possible that because of the “pressure” that we feel during this pandemic, we feel obliged to speak or to voice out our thoughts and opinions even though we are not that well-versed with certain issues. Because of that, we are not just expressing our thoughts and opinions, we are also spreading hate.
We all have different thoughts and opinions and we believe that we all have something “great” to say about a specific issue (e.g. politics and governance, and other social issues). We always want to express our sentiments and be heard but only few want to listen and understand.
Few examples of these are the different hate posts that we read online about some issues. Like for example, the unceasing conflict between pro and anti-administration – supporters versus the critiques, man versus man. It is actually normal to any political and even non-political administration or organization and it can be considered as healthy at times because it triggers positive change when conflicts are used and handled properly. However, what we are experiencing right now is not just conflict, but it is more of the hate. It’s alarming because just like the number of CoViD-19 cases in our country, the number of infected by this “hate” are also increasing and spreading.
Expressing our own opinion is totally fine, but degrading those people who don’t have the same opinions or beliefs as ours is really absurd and dense, to be considered. Also, by encouraging people to have the same opinion than yours is a waste of time because you are only creating more problems or perhaps, fueling hate.
How would you react when someone tells you these?
“Kung Psychologist ka (or any other profession) at sumusuporta/ hindi sumusuporta ka kay/sa (…)
“I-unfriend mo nalang ako kung sumusuporta/hindi ka sumusuporta(…)”
People can interpret situations differently, so a situation that makes you feel angry or triggered may not make someone else feel angry at all, but that doesn’t mean that they are less of a person. In case that they needed to be educated about certain issues or concerns, then let us try to educate them the best way we possibly could, without the thought and belief that we are more intelligent or superior than them.
If we try to voice out our opinion about certain issues, make sure to do it for a good purpose and not because we feel pressured because everyone else is doing it. Again, expressing our opinion is fine but force-feeding it to others is absolutely illogical and selfish. Because in reality, the problem and the seed of hate will start to thrive when we think that we are a better person than the others or when we think that our stand regarding certain issues are better than anyone else.
In promoting and expressing our opinion about certain issues, we tend to forget that the world is not just revolving around us.
It would be a lot better if we try to educate one another by expressing our thoughts and opinions without hate.
Humility, kindness, and respect are the things that shouldn’t be rare especially in times like this.
Discussion about this post