I’m Getting Really Tired of Stupid People
I spent an entire hour with my therapist today talking about stupid people. I know I shouldn’t call people stupid. But seriously. I just can’t take it anymore.
I live in a predominately White, predominately Christian farming town. We have very little diversity. And we share our religion like, a lot. We also, apparently, share a lot of stupid shit on the internet.
I have been completely dumbfounded how easily the people that I am constantly surrounded by and genuinely like are sharing the most ignorant and uneducated pieces of “information” online.
Last night, for instance, a sweet young newly married girl who used to be my neighbor shared this:
“For those wanting to defund the police: let’s also take away food stamps and free medical care. Because if you don’t need police you can take care of yourself in every other aspect as well.”
Deeeeeep breath in. (Remember this is a sweet little Chrisitan gal)
I, trying to be helpful without causing too much trouble replied:
“Hey girl- you should really take some time to research what defund the police means. This comment is not only unkind but also uneducated in nature.”
I won’t give the complete play by play of the entire conversation but it includes replies from her like “if you don’t like it just don’t comment its that simple” and “It’s just my opinion if you don’t like it don’t comment” and “I’ve done my research thanks though.”
Next in line (all in the same Facebook scroll session) was my other sweet Christian neighbor, mother of six and wife of a dairy farmer. She shared this:
“Isn’t it funny how if you do what you’re supposed to the Police leave you alone?”
Another sweet little mother who suffers deeply from rheumatoid arthritis replied, “I know so funny isn’t it?”
Deeeeeep breath in.
(At this point the breathing techniques my therapist had taught me were not cutting it anymore.)
I just really can’t believe it. We live in a time where Google is literally at our fingertips all day long. How hard is it to do a quick search? How hard is it to spend five minutes researching defund police? How hard is it to watch a video or read an article?
I suppose maybe these people are too busy reposting their toxic uninformed memes to do any of that.
I know these people are on Facebook and Instagram- you can’t even be on these platforms without coming across a video of a Black man being confronted by police when he was doing what he was supposed to. (Seriously though did you see the one of the Black college student picking up trash outside of his own dorm. Insert facepalm.)
I guess then what this means is that these people are purposefully ignoring the problem. Nothing else makes any sense. There is too much media available showing that Racism is indeed a problem. Police brutality is real. Black people are being pulled over, confronted, handcuffed, incarcerated, sentenced, and shot more than White people. The facts are there, staring these people right in their sweet little Christian faces… and still. Nothing. No sympathy, no empathy, no remorse, no change.
And that. That is why I’m getting really tired of stupid people.
I haven’t figured out what to do about it yet. I’ve moved out of the denial part of my process. Like no, they can’t really be that cold-hearted (and stupid). I’ve moved out of that stage because it’s been proven that yes, they indeed are.
Now I’m in the anger stage. Where I’m just crazy frustrated, irritated, and anxious.
Next, I guess, will come depression, bargaining, and acceptance.
The acceptance part is where I need to get. Where I can explore options, put a new plan in place, and move forward. (See I learned all of this on Google… just a quick search to help me explore my feelings. It was really easy, you should try it.)
Acceptance. Okay that is the goal. Accept that people are going to be stupid. Alright. Got it. Explore my options and put a new plan in place.
New plan… okay well, my plan of suggesting education did not work well. New plan…
Anybody? Does anybody out there have a new plan they want to share? Because I am drawing a blank.
Honestly though, I am stuck. I don’t know how to move forward and implement a new plan. I thought education and reasoning were both parts of a great plan. And I just don’t know what to do anymore. I am feeling more lost, frustrated, and hopeless than ever before.
I know, when I write I am supposed to leave the audience with a plan of action. A new idea or a new resolution. But I’m out of ideas. I’m feeling defeated.
I’m just really tired of stupid people.
