Lately I've just really been feeling this urge to get my voice out into the world. And I know, like no one reads this, but something I need to be better at is getting my opinions out there and this is a good start, I guess. There are so many different things I think and wonder about, and this blog may end up a mess of a bunch of random tangents, but that's not a bad thing.
To start, in honor of Harper Lee, I watched To Kill a Mockingbird today (it's on netflix, yay!). And I don't even want to admit this, but it was embarrassingly my first time seeing the film. And I haven't read the book either. It was never assigned in my high school classes and I didn't make a point of seeking it out and reading it. And shame on me, because wow. It affected me deeply. Atticus Finch is a true hero. He sees things with incredible clarity and has a pure, unaffected, beautiful sense of humanity. Like... this quote though: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” So good.
In today's world there is so much, SO MUCH muck we have to sort through in order to get through to real issues and see what's truly going on. So many diverse opinions are instantly available, and unfortunately they are often defensive, negative, and misinformed. This virtual and ongoing war of words shows that hatred is such a prevalent force today and it's nourished by the social expectation that we can say whatever we want, especially online, and feel secure because we have that freedom. And freedom is good, indeed great, but not when it's tainted by the oppressive opinions circulating at the forefront of everyone's vision. It's clouding our ability to see people as they really are and to appreciate the diverse, rich, and beautiful world we live in. There is so much good we can do in the world if we realize that we can make a difference and stand up for the values of respect, courage, and intelligence. That's what Atticus Finch did. He was a member of a society with deeply rooted traditions but he recognized a problem and stood alone in addressing it. And in doing so he did the most important thing he could have possibly done-he fostered those values in his children, ensuring that their future could be bright and influential.
I could go on about the many themes in the film (and book which I haven't read) but I think that's what's mostly on my mind right now. So yeah... just be a good human.
cheers
Tamsyn
