humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
Stop Sexualizing Children
Go on social media and you will see innocent photos or videos of young girls and women where there are commenters saying things about the length of their shorts, skirts, or dresses. The "they need to put some more clothes on" comments abound. Something is only sexual when we make it that way. I'm not talking about the shorts where they literally have their butt cheeks hanging out of the shorts or the ones that I have underwear that cover more. I'm talking shorts like gym shorts that are above mid-thigh. Perfectly normal shorts that you can see anyone wearing around. Why do we think young girls or women should have to wear long shorts?
By Samantha Matis4 years ago in Humans
Apparently, I Shouldn't Be Driving or Living because I'm Disabled
This happened about half an hour ago as of this writing. Maybe I shouldn’t be writing about it yet because I’m still pissed off about it. Time and distance might help me see what happened with clearer vision. I could relate the experience with a more tempered hand, in a calmer tone, and with greater understanding for the offending party.
By Matthew B. Johnson4 years ago in Humans
A Wine Down Twist
The linoleum felt refreshing under my achy, bare feet. The heat of the day’s sun was only just surpassed by the excursion of the day. Eight horses. A lot of trainers work up to twenty horses in a day but most of those have assistants or assistance of some kind, anyway. I’m a one-woman show, and even when it hurts, the show does go on. The horses must be taken care of and trained as they have no choice otherwise. Without proper care and the worth to be properly cared for, they will perish, domestic or wild.
By Brenna DeGeer 4 years ago in Humans
The Day Everything Changed
This is in memory of my mom, Katelynn (my sister), Diana, Bobby, and Lori. This story would not happen without the support of my sisters Rebecca, and Audrey, or without two of my English teachers who told me I could write a narrative essay on this and I knew then I could turn it into a story, I want to thank you for your help and support.
By Andrea DeLong4 years ago in Humans
How To Change The World in 100 Days
Laying on his back staring at the ceiling Marcus is wide awake with a sea of endless thoughts swarming through his brain. It's around 11:30 pm and Marcus like usual is unable to sleep. This has been an issue for him for as long as he can remember. As a child he combated his thoughts with a unhealthy addiction to video games. He would spend his nights playing video games until completion even after his eyes would bleed. Escaping to the video game world was the only thing that kept him sane as he is lost in a never ending sea of his own thoughts. But as he grew older his fascination with video games dwindled while his obsession with world inequality continued to grow. His mind continues to wonder to space, reincarnation, this life of blinded freedom and ways to fix the world. Sitting back watching the aftermath of a country built on the blood of slaves and indigenous peoples backs. Then 400 years later watching those same people continue to be looked at and thought of as less then and not equal. A government who allows its cities to be segregated by a invisible line of rich vs poor. Clear disadvantages in comparing the inner city infrastructure and the suburban infrastructure. Cities where special groups were sworn in to protect and to serve the people but instead choose to harm and prey on its inner city citizens. Marcus lays back and wonders of a different world in which the slaves who were brought over from Africa and those that were already imprisoned and tortured here never served a life term. "What if they just stopped." What if they chose death instead of submission. How would the world be? Would there be racism still? Would these minority races have survived for 400 years? Endless questions with no answers. In the end it doesn't matter. We are in these situations because of our past. It's up to our present to change our future. Those slaves who didn't choose death they in fact chose submission. So now 500 years later what will we do? Are we now in too much despair and under authoritative rule to truly make change because we've been generationally infected by 400 years of slavery and many more lifetimes of racism and sorrow. Why is there so much evil? Wars, famine and destruction all over the world for 1000s of years. Are people naturally born evil or is it an acquired perception that we infect our children with from birth. Imagine a child growing up in a world without these unnecessary evils such as racism and greed. Would that child grow to become selfish and deceitful or would that child grow in harmony with the plants and animals surrounding him because that's all he would see.
By ET Productions 4 years ago in Humans
Who Am I?
Who am I? I have been pondering that question for quite a bit longer than I’ve been procrastinating writing this piece. Maybe it’s because, as a writer, I’m always trying to work out what the ending might be. Before I commit to writing a piece, I need to have at least some idea where my story is going. When I’m watching a movie, I’m always trying to imagine what the next plot point will be. So, when I’m trying to write the story of “Who am I,” well, I still haven’t figured out how it ends.
By Allison Rice4 years ago in Humans
When Being Fair Means Being Equal
In the upcoming federal election, I’m not sure if I should vote for the competitive party or the cooperative party. I guess the alternatives would be equality and parity. Cooperation and collaboration seem to be hooped right from the start which means that we will probably go through another 1000-year term with inequality and social injustice gaining points in a weak-minded political market. We are so fucked when it comes to figuring things out. We are appalled with all the drugs and murders and thefts and other violent crimes and yet we never do the right thing to put an end to it. If Joe gets cancer, give him a regimen of chemicals and radiation and possibly cut out a segment of his colon or lop off his prostate. That is more manageable that trying to get Joe to eat right, live right, stop smoking, stop drinking. It is also more light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnelish than trying to clean up the environment that fostered Joe’s malignancy to start with. We pretty much handle all of our social, emotional, financial, environmental problems like that. We have spent a fortune, many fortunes, on band aids when we should have been investing in permanent and long term cures for our woes. Let’s face it, we are mentally fucking retarded when it comes to solving the world’s big problems and you know why? Because money gets in the way. There are some guys out there that are really lucky that money controls the world because they would be shit out of luck if everybody was all of a sudden put on the same equal and level playing field. And there’s the problem right there. There is no equality or parity in the world. All the individuals in the village, let alone the municipality, let alone the province, let alone the country, let alone the world are not playing on the same field. Hell, we’re not even all in the same league or playing the same fucking game. I have a house. It is not big. It gives me shelter and warmth and a place to keep my stuff. It is my home base. It is an important part of my life. It gives me a centre point. I can go back to it when I need to recollect or to rest or to recuperate or to read or eat. I can let people know about my place when I have to work or pay bills or apply for loans or school. It makes me feel good to know that I will always have somewhere to go. There’s the deal – it makes me feel good. Why shouldn’t everyone get to feel good about themselves by having their own place to live? There’s the first inequality. There are people out there that have houses that are bigger than hotels and that could hold dozens of people and that aren’t even lived in because their real house is an even bigger one somewhere else. I have heard it said that these people can’t be denied their big homes and all the accessories just because they are rich. They have worked for their money and so deserve the good life. Bullshit! These people are rich because others are poor. That’s the way the world works. The cobra population is up because the mongoose population is down. The Raptors suck because the Pistons are hot. These people are rich because others around the world have no chance of ever getting a piece of the pie. Child and slave labour around the planet provides goods and services that allow the rich to get richer and stay richer. You and I pay outrageous prices for fundamental and basic needs that somebody is selling and becoming amazingly wealthy. Cha-fucking-ching.
By John Oliver Smith4 years ago in Humans
I tried to read a Murakami book while tired and ended up reading one from a parallel dimension
If you could befriend a concept then I am BFFs with sleep. What the evolutionary reason sleep exists literally no-one knows for sure, but whatever reason it might be...Sleep...Sleep is good.
By CJ Francis4 years ago in Humans
Hard Decisions Require Empathy
We have experienced perhaps the most surreal experience of our lives in the last two weeks. It may have more lasting effects than "60 days at home," and that is why many of us almost laugh when we call Zoom! Someone we haven’t seen in a while and we admit how strange it is to be feeling right now. As we are invited to this intimate world via videoconferencing, I have been inside more people's houses and apartments than I ever thought possible.
By Damian Peters4 years ago in Humans
When The World Fell Silent — Appreciating The gift Of Lockdown
It's no secret: I'm an introvert. I like to keep to myself and am happiest snuggled up in my pyjamas at home, sitting at my desk writing or watching a documentary on Netflix. Going out and having to be places often stresses me out. So imagine my relief when Australia started to go into lockdown in late March. My usual café? Closed. My son's soccer training? Cancelled. Chess club? Nope. Group outings and social gatherings? Hello, Zoom!
By Nicole Y. Adams4 years ago in Humans
