humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
After the Flames
Two weeks ago, the Carr Fire ripped through my small, Northern California community. It started as a plume of smoke on the horizon Monday morning. Something to talk about at work: “Hey did you see that smoke? Must be a fire out there.” Nothing more. Tuesday and Wednesday passed with the same pencil line of smoke trailing into the sky. Thursday morning we woke up to ash falling from the sky like snow and an eerie orange glow in the air instead of watery sunshine. Overnight, the fire had tripled in size and was burning furiously toward our town. My parents live on the western edge of town, less than a mile from the fire. In a panic and choking on hot smoke, I helped them rake up as much dry debris (dead leaves, pine needles, etc.) as possible and then we doused the house with water. We carried out everything important, like old photos and birth certificates, and piled it in their car and then we drove away with the fire on our heels—not knowing if we’d ever see that house again.
By Kimberly Alcorn8 years ago in Humans
A Message from the Youth to Elders
Today, August 16, 2018, we lost the legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin. I am a woman who recently turned 21 in February. I am considered a youth in this year, and I want to be the first to say that we have a problem. We are getting further and further apart from understanding and associating with each other as humans. Technology and smartphones are leading us away from human interaction and having actual conversations. I honestly think that American millennials do get a bad rap overall for being very aloof and socially deviant. But, what generation that comes before another hasn't been considered more and more scandalous? I have had the experience of having a close relationship with my mother, and the older generations including grandparents and elders; for me it is easier to have bonds with older folks then people of my generation. I am usually steeped in music from the 90s, and below. I love history, classic movies, and the grace and regal ages of America. We truly learn how to stand and walk in dignity into a room when we know where we have come from. For some cultures it takes more digging to find the exact roots of our histories, but we all generally have pride in who we are.
By SAYHERNAME Morgan Sankofa8 years ago in Humans
Abuse?
One day I’m laying in bed and scrolling social media. I come across a video with a title that suddenly catches my eyes “Lady goes off on bus for boyfriend hitting girlfriend.” I immediately click on the video because I want to know what happened. As I watch the video the lady holding the camera is yelling at a guy for physically abusing his girlfriend on a public city bus. The guy is yelling at his girlfriend to get off the bus because they have called the cops and he doesn’t want to go to jail. The lady behind the camera demands that the girlfriend stays seated and doesn’t go anywhere with her abuser. A few other women on the bus helped and kept her seated by giving her advice that if she leaves she will be hit again and soon. Something that may eventually end in death. The girlfriend stays seated and waits for the cops.
By Human Human8 years ago in Humans
Surrounding Yourself with Positivity Isn't as Great as It Sounds
Surround yourself with positivity. I hear this all the time but is this really something we should be practicing? True, this could be meant for not only ideas but people as well but that can still be a slippery slope toward ignorance. I think that everyone should have a nice balance of positive and negative thoughts and social interactions. We can't go living our lives ignorant of all negativity. How would problems be solved? How would we progress as a society?
By Brian Anonymous8 years ago in Humans
Why Millennials Hate Baby Boomers
There is a single question to explore for today: why do Baby Boomers hate Millenials, and why do Millenials hate Baby Boomers? Being a 22 year-old, Vietnamese-American woman from a Vietnam War era family, I am very much a part of the Millennial generation. As a whole, my generation has seen the evolution of technology, and the turbulent spiraling of our political climate. As a young adult, I attended the University of California, San Diego where I earned a degree in Studio Arts. The experience was, for lack of a better word, grueling. My academic struggles were a recurring reality for millions of other college students; on top of crippling student loans, and anxiety that ruined my interpersonal relationships, my mental health suffered. In other words, “the college experience” was a largely challenging, tiring, and demanding one with little to no payoff. There were times where, at best, I would be able to eat two meals a day, go to work and my internship, while also attending four lectures per day. At worst, I would have a weekly grocery budget of $20, little to no leisure time, sleepless nights, and toxic exchanges with family.
By Victoria Vu8 years ago in Humans
Growing Up
During the first decade of my life, when I was living at my parents’ house, there was an old man in our neighborhood. He was from somewhere rural and he was an old man for as long as I’ve known him. He didn’t really have a home. The few things I remember actually belonging to him include a thin walking cane he carried everywhere and the long-tailed khaki coat he wore all the time. Later my mother would give him a hefty Gabi that had once belonged to my father and a silhouette of anything resembling a tall, heavily wrapped human being holding a cane will forever remind me of him.
By cavia oplicus8 years ago in Humans
How Holding on to a Toxic Friendship Cost Me My Relationship with My Brother
When I was 18, I met a girl. Let’s call her Bianca. Bianca was a few years younger than me, but we had so many things in common, we struck up a friendship almost instantly. Me, being the loner that I am didn’t have any friends at the time, and hadn’t really maintained any lasting relationships of any kind in the past, so the idea that Bianca actually wanted to be my friend, and enjoyed my company baffled me. She told me stories about her past, and I did the same.
By Amber Leigh8 years ago in Humans
Lonely or Alone?
I've often found myself perfectly content sitting in my bedroom with a cup of tea; the world around me a million metaphorical miles away while I isolate my mind from everything and everyone else in my life. I like the safety and familiarity of being on my own. I like it when no effort needs to be given to talking, or listening, or paying attention at all. I like the comfort of being out of the public eye, because it means I can be completely, uncompromisingly myself.
By Katie Rees8 years ago in Humans
For People Like Me
This is for everyone and anyone who has found it difficult to show or even handle true emotion. People who have discovered that they are incapable of loving another being, or handling with care as they should. For people who have run away from love as if it were the devil himself.
By Serena Flores8 years ago in Humans
How to Stop Being Bullied
No one wishes to be bullied within their life. But unfortunately it happens and it's not fair. The real reason why bullies shame others is because they have something insecure about themselves that they're not proud of, so they take it out on others to feel better about themselves. I was bullied throughout most of my school years, but it wasn't until my final two years of school when it got really bad. I was bullied because people thought I looked ugly so they made jokes about my appearance and starting body shaming me in the changing room because my face did not match my body type, and throughout that time I told no one besides my closest friends. My friends would listen to what I had to say, but they were no good at making me feel better. All the advice that they would give me was to just ignore the bullies. But it was hard to ignore. This happened to me everyday by a large group people that I couldn't just ignore. They were in the same classes as me and they would always sit next to me in assemblies so they could just laugh at me. I was beginning to really hate myself and come home everyday and just lock myself in my room and cry. The worst part is I didn't even want to tell anyone because the exam period was coming up, so I didn't want teachers or one the staff members to know about this because I just wanted to focus on passing my exams. But now I am starting to regret it. One of my main bullies still go to my school, but I don't really see much anymore. If I come across her she stills acts same way towards me by laughing at my face deliberately so she can get into my head. Well, that all stopped three months ago once I learnt how to control her actions with just a few changes to my mind set. So here are ways to stop being bullied by others.
By Bethany Gordon8 years ago in Humans
