Chapter 57 — Stop living in the past.

If Emojis are aware of present-day society, you should be too.

The last month has been an absolute nightmare for our supposed modern, progressive society. For all of the steps taken forward in recent years, there has been some seriously backwards movement recently.

In the USA, incidents involving white police officers and black males have suddenly been thrust back in to the media spotlight, and with that the whole issue of racial equality (and rightfully so, but for all the wrong reasons).

Here in the UK, we voted to leave the EU last month and, as an assumed result, hate crimes jumped 42% in the last two weeks of June compared to 2015. The abuse suffered by an American on a Manchester tram was evidence enough of the absurdity of the hatred that has risen up since the 24th June.

It all boils down to race, and there are just too many issues to keep track of right now. But they’re all issues that appear to be caused by whites who seem to believe that having more melanin in your skin means you don’t have the right to a meaningful and peaceful life wherever you decide to call home.

A belief such as that is worrying and infuriating and damaging to society and people much better at writing than me have expressed their opinions in ways more powerful than I ever could, but I don’t think the sentiment can be echoed enough. Racial diversity is not something you can fight against. Racial diversity is not something you can keep at arm’s length in the hope that it stops pushing forward after a while.

Everyone who isn’t a white man has been fighting for equality for centuries. If you think you’re going to be the person to put an end to that, think again. You’re just delaying the inevitable.

There was a reason for me bringing all of this up by the way. My plan wasn’t to simply rant in the same way thousands of others undoubtedly have over the years. I want to add something that you may not have read before in relation to this whole, entire issue.

I want to talk about Buddhism.

everyone goes back to browsing Facebook

For those of you still here, more specifically I want to talk about (some of) what Buddhism actually teaches and encourages:

• Worldwide interconnectivity between everything and everyone.
• Compassion and awareness for those you are connected to (which is everything and everyone)

Basically, show compassion to everything that isn’t you on this planet, and you’re doing a good job.

Ever since I did more research in to Buddhism at the start of 2016, I’ve been hard-pressed to find a reason not to be convinced by the way the religion/philosophy encourages people to live their lives. It’s so damn easy if you just try.

So, if you’re someone who believes that non-whites in the UK need to ‘go back to their own country’, then stop and be more aware of the lives you’re actively attempting to ruin.

If you’re someone who believes that black lives are inferior to those of white lives, then stop and show some compassion towards a person with just as many hopes, dreams, fears, cares and loved ones as you.

If you’re someone who sits in hatred at the thought of a racially diverse society, then stop and realise that we’re all connected. Our lives are all carried out on a ball of rock floating through space. No matter what piece of land we call home on Earth, our ethnicity should play no part in how we interact.

This planet can’t move forward if more and more people are determined to live in the past.

Just stop, and show some compassion.

Everything Else…

That felt like a good Chapter to kick off the week. Much better than my recent previous efforts.

Tomorrow is (hopefully) job-finding-out day, which means 58 could be the happiest of the lot, or the absolute worst of the lot.

Thanks for reading!

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