Is it really black and white?

Hi readers! Welcome back to another training session(another post lol) and today I am going to write about something that I think is missing in our society especially the internet. Lately, over the past couple of years, so many things have become too polarized and divided. If you're frequently on the internet like I am, you'll notice that there are many topics of discussion that someone will bring up that tries to force you into one side and the opposite side is the enemy. Things like masculinity/femininity, liberal/conservative, religion, 9-5/entrepreneur, and I can go on and on.

The constant pinning of groups against each other is very tiring and when you meet people in real life, you notice that many people fall in the middle when it comes to popular topics. If you only live on the internet then you will think that everyone operates in black/white thinking. The problem is that many people spend a lot of time online which is only is an echo chamber of people who normally think like them. To add to that, people tend to gravitate towards their own social bubbles that share the same thoughts/beliefs. Due to this, one would think that the whole world operates this way. Hate to break it to you but the way your world is isn't necessarily how the actual world is. There are just certain opinions that are not objective truths. That right there is so freeing because it can give you the mental freedom to do what works for you.

When you are able to live life in the gray rather than black/white, you become free from the societal pressures to live a certain way. You have the freedom to break all kinds of stereotypes. It also gives you the freedom to invest in many ventures without dropping everything that you're currently doing. Having an all or nothing mentality sounds good when it comes to focus but it can be detrimental when it comes to certain societal issues/norms because humans are very complex beings. The media isn't helping with this either, everything is constantly getting pinned up against each other and it's getting to the point now that if you're caught even hanging with someone on the "other" side then people will think you're a traitor.

I promise you that it is okay to agree with people that you wouldn't normally agree with on certain things. Too many times, the messenger is shot down because they are on the "other" side even though the message might be great. Don't let the media/social media cause you to miss out on a good connection/conversation because it told you to hate a certain group of people. Learn to understand the facts and then form your own opinions from there. You are not signing a deal with the devil because you might agree with someone who lives a different lifestyle than you. Remember, you never have to compromise your own personal convictions for a conversation.

Here are some examples of topics that aren't so black/white:

1. Masculinity vs Femininity This one is annoying because it is one that is constantly being shoved down our throats on social media. The constant arguments of men are supposed to do this and women are supposed to do that is old and annoying. It's 2022, things are getting more expensive and it's important to do what works for you and your family even if it goes against societal norms.
   

2. Liberal vs Conservative Now this one is also annoying because this is probably the biggest social wars of all. The way people will disagree with someone on here because they are on the other side is wild. People have gone as far as saying things like only "liberals" go to therapy and all "conservatives" are evil which is far from the truth. One side thinks they are the righteous and the other side is Satan's partner. In politics the messenger is shot down all the time even when there is good talking points from the side you wouldn't necessarily agree with. There's definitely a huge group think problem here.
   

3. 9-5 vs Entrepreneur This one affects the Millennial generation and younger. So many people on the internet will shame you for having a 9-5 which is perfectly fine. At the same time people will also shame you for quitting your stable job to start that business that you always wanted to start. The funny thing is that you can do both and do them well. Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone and I'm sure you wouldn't want it to be for everyone either. Find out what you like/don't like, try different things, and focus on what works for you. Too many people on earth for everyone doing the same thing.
   

4. Religion I know this is a sensitive topic to many but I'll touch on it briefly. I know a lot of people live life based on their religious beliefs. The problem sometimes lies when you try to place your own personal convictions(ones that aren't sinful) on other people(who also follow the same religion). Or even thinking people of a certain religion should vote a certain way because of that religion is also a bad way of thinking because a lot of issues tend to be complex as well.
   

In conclusion, we don't have to operate in black/white and either/or. Multiple things can be true at once and we have the capacity to do more than one thing. Things don't always have to give for another area to thrive. It's okay to care about multiple issues and not just one. So go out there and have those convos, do the daring things, and be open to those who have opposing opinions because many things are never all wrong or all right. Until Next Time,

E. Ibadin