Ahimsa—mitigate harm and animosity
I’m wondering how much we’re generally in a stew of actual, emerging, or possible harm. And how much of it is unconscious. Another writer on Substack posted on 5 (offensive) things white people should stop saying right now. I think and say all 5 of them, a lot. Like asking that we are civil instead of standing up for justice. Saying things like “This isn’t who we are,” when obviously it’s exactly who we are and have been ever since the first colonial footstep.
Then there’s the intense animosity leveled at Bad Bunny, who to me is brilliant, funny, and warmhearted—what are others seeing that I’m not? Since I’ve been thinking and saying those 5 offensive things, I’m not immune to committing harm either.
So, I feel called out for sloppy and inaccurate thinking that ignores whole realities, which is unsettling, maybe for you too. I’m also still processing that animosity toward BB, whose vibrant halftime show was full of love and pride for his America. The problem is a lot of people have another America they think is better and more true. So for them, this Pan-American celebration was inappropriate and offensive.
The amount of misinformation online about BB doesn’t help—that he burned an American flag, refuses to stand for the National Anthem, has been criticized by other celebrities, etc. We are all subjected now to “A.I. slop” shaping our opinions and conversations.
Who and what can we rely on for truth? If I think my version of America is true and better, and my information is wrong or skewed, then what? No one wants to think their news sources are incorrect. We hesitate to imagine that our parents, families, schools, and communities gave us incorrect or harmful information and interpretations. But they did. They still do. We still do—we are the family and community. I was going to tell you that BB wore a bulletproof vest during his show, and thought I’d better double-check. It’s false.
All of which is to say, we have to make some effort and do better. I’m not fond of “do better” language, and I don’t know how else to say it. I can be more vigilant about how I’m getting information and what I choose to believe. When I say something that I later realize is wrong or sloppy, I can ‘fess up. Maybe we’re all going to be doing that more. Often prescient, SNL even aired a skit about the mom confessing to her adult kids that she “might have been wrong.”
I’ll tell you one last thing I think is true—Bad Bunny was taking a big, public stand about love. And my opinion—that it was courageous, as in heartfelt with a flash of resistance toward derision and hatred. If we can all do better, let’s start there.