San Jose City Living

I recently read the blog post of a local writer and blogger named Tricia Chambers.  In her post, titled Small-minded Like Me, Tricia does a great job of interrupting the single track mind of human behavior and injecting a sort of, “HEY YOU! DO YOU SEE THIS?” interruption.

Referencing an Austrian woman that was kept in her basement and abused by her father for 30 years, I was snapped into attention, ready to take action at such an atrocity.  “Nobody stepped in to help her,” typed Tricia.

“We are too busy to concern ourselves with someone else’s problems. We are warm and cozy and all is right with the world.”

So true.  But there isn’t a way to know of every atrocity as they happen and have an active way to keep them from happening.  Does the movie Minority Report starring Scientology buff, Tom Cruise ring any bells?

While I still get harshly offended by the slow driver in front of me and the jack-ass on his cell phone boxing me in, not noticing my turn signal and dire plight of driving so slow.  I do think that I take a valiant effort to being kind and understanding to my fellow human.

If I see a guy that has parked downtown, and it’s obvious while he stands at the meter, he doesn’t have any change.  I don’t hesitate to offer the couple of quarters I have snuggled in my pocket.  But what is it about human nature that is too single-minded to notice or take action against the injustices in the world?

My thoughts are that our animal instincts and primitive minds are at fault.  We don’t have hive minds where we can sense bad things happening (or do we?).  Does a bear in the forest worry that his fellow bear, 100 miles away was killed by a hunter?  Obviously not, right?  Humans are no different.  Out of sight, out of mind ring any bells?

My thought is that the best we can do is work with the information we have.  It’s impossible to know that a woman is locked in her basement against her will.  But what we can do is take active steps towards being kind to those around us and be a little less judgmental.  Not direct enough of a solution?  OK, lets have a weekly inspection of basements, run by the government, and include random drug tests during inspection.  THAT’S THE ANSWER!  Or not.  Anyways…

No one is perfect.  I’m not saying I won’t still be frustrated at the sl0w-mo and jack-ass boxing me in.  But I do feel that if we remain aware of the terrible things that can happen in conjunction with the many good things, we’ll be taking active steps towards evolving beyond senseless violence.  I’d like to think that we’re moving towards a society that doesn’t have the evil desires to torture and do wrong.  Don’t you?

So when is the last time you did something nice for someone else?  Have you gone out of your way to ensure someone’s happiness for the day?  Did you tell your loved one you appreciate them today?  I know I did.

Keep positive and DO GOOD WILL YA?

Andrew out!