Traversing the digital landscape is treacherous. Nobody is safe. Right?
I guess it depends on your definition of safety. Or, where you fall within varying spectra.
You’re safe in your right to own guns, but not from them.
You’re safe to speak your mind, until you’re targeted by bullies’ words.
You’re safe to hide discrimination behind political or religious affiliations, but not from the discrimination of others.
You’re safe in your ivory tower, until masked strangers cart you away to a fate unknown.
You’re safe with trained doctors, but not from unqualified opinions that threaten your care.
You’re safe behind a keyboard, but not from the screen.
You’re safe on your side, but not with the other.
So, are you safe, or lucky? Privileged, or misfortunate? More importantly, did you forget?
We once stood united, not divided. Our hands were used to hold each other up, not to point fingers. We put aside petty differences to care for one another. We were allies, not aliens. Helped, not hurt.
No one should expect lasting concordance and harmony. But how have we strayed so far in such a short period of time?
Maybe it’s the supersaturation and normalization of tragedy. Maybe we have let talking heads divide us. I think most of us could agree on that, although we may disagree on the finer points. It’s there that we run into trouble, and I’m not sure how to fix that.
“Never forget” has given way to the harmful “never forgive.”
Excellent piece and many of us feeling the same. So relative that you wrote this on 9/11 and how this country was so united during that sad and troubled time.