(Tapping first into my deep appreciation for 80’s music…)
“Shout, shout, let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on, I’m talking to you, come on
Shout, shout, let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on, I’m talking to you, come on…”
What is it with the plethora of people on Facebook, Twitter, media and social media who feel a need to shout at the rest of us? What is it about people who feel tolerance only goes one way?
Whether it’s about how we should feel about Bruce Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner, same-sex marriage, religious freedom, gun control, the Confederate flag, white privilege, black oppression, immigration, activism…ugh… can I simply state the obvious? Some of you are shouting at us.
Let me state the next most obvious — a huge point that I believe the shouters totally miss:
None of the rest of us will change our minds because of your shouting. In fact, it is more likely that we will become more entrenched in our positions precisely because of your shouting.
You can shout, shout, and let it all out, but the rudeness of your shouting — the fact that you only are good at loving some people well and have little respect for those who may or may not believe differently — means the rest of us will be minimally encouraged to act and think like you.
Let me say that again…
When you shout… when you’re rude… when you’re mean… when you say you don’t care that you’re being rude or mean — whichever side you’re supposedly on — when you engage in such disrespectful articulation, very few outside your small circle of influence will want to adopt your opinion. You are doing more damage than good.
Not only are you embracing the above Tears for Fears’ mantra from 1985, you also seem to embrace the The Isley Brothers in 1959…
“You know you make me wanna (Shout!)
Kick my heels up and (Shout!)
Throw my hands up and (Shout!)
Throw my head back and (Shout!)
Come on now (Shout!)…
(Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah…
(Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah…
(Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah…”
While both songs share the same simple title, I’m thinking our shouting friends need to re-read the lyrics from the entire Isley Brothers melody. Two-thirds of the way through the song, they share a message to our shouters. In fact, they say it 17 times before giving way to continued shouts:
“A little bit softer now.”
Yes… a little bit softer now. Please.
Do we each want us to discuss the legitimacy of our perspectives or points? Do we want to make progress? Do we want to move toward solution or peace? Or are we incapable of respectful debate? Are we simply more comfortable being loud, justifying disrespect, and hearing our own selves think?
May I humbly suggest we begin by stopping the shouting.
Respectfully… always…
AR