Are We Desensitized?

Have we heard and seen so many things that have rocked us to the core that we have become desensitized? I believe so. What was shocking fifteen, even five years ago, is now common ground and we can just shrug it off. So many things are happening until as society has grown, and everything that encompasses that has advance, so has our tolerance to hearing information; that it is to a point

that everything is fair game and nothing that we hear shocks us.

Maybe we have advanced too much in technology or have turned away from common practices of everyday living; or I will even venture to say that we have forgotten the lessons that 'Big Momma and dem' taught us about respecting another human being and respecting their property. Nothing is off limits. There was a time when people would not throw trash on church property or curse in front of an older person, but now not only will they throw trash on church property but they will defame the church by doing all types of things in it and not only will they curse in front of an older person but they will attack and rob them as well. The respect is not there for anything anymore because we have become neutralized to our surroundings and the abnormal has become our normal. We have adjusted to the things that should make us quiver.

When someone speaks out, that person is singled out and made to feel like they are alone instead of the other way around. How can we make a conscious decision to not get involved in something we have witnessed? How can we turn a blinds-eye to things that we know are going on, but because it is not happening to us or in our home, we do not say anything? We may think that this is not happening as often but if its not happening, then why can we have a street full of people that witness a crime, but no one says anything? It could be fear from retaliation but it could also be that it is not their problem so there is no need to say anything; but no one is exempt from crime and what happened to our neighbor last week can happen to us tomorrow. We can never feel so comfortable until we accept anything and feel it is not our responsibility to say or do anything.

So how can we change it? What can we do differently? It did not get like this overnight so it will not get fixed in an instant, but we cannot stand idly by and do nothing just because we feel that it is not going to matter. The more we disregard what others think and do what is right, the more right will take its rightful place and society can get to a place that human life matters and the things that we do represent who we are. We must care about one another and once we begin to love our brothers and sisters again and be concerned about our neighbors; change will take place!