I’m not even 40 and I’m beginning to rant about young people. Actually, it’s not just millennials and Gen Z, but people who seem very idealistic – too idealistic (even some baby boomers! Yeah, people my parents’ age. Seriously, did they NEVER leave the 60s?). To the point that it just doesn’t seem possible – at least not without huge budgets. And no one has a huge budget. Heck, even Mark Zuckerberg has a budget. A much bigger one than most of us, but still, a budget.
This isn’t just about budgets, but how some people have been online lately. I realize many people don’t like the current Ontario government – especially the man who was sworn in as premier just a month or so ago – but many of the comments, especially from mainstream media, are just politically correct and Toronto-centric. I’m sorry, but even as a Torontonian, a true, blue Toronto gal, I can’t believe how many people I know only think from a Toronto perspective. Or from the perspective of wherever they live. Take the whole provincial cabinet thing for example. Sure, it’s not as diverse as it could be – ethnically speaking – but considering WHO the premiere is, having SEVEN women is, well, better than one would have expected? And as for ethnicity, can we please stop living in a bubble? Ontario isn’t just Toronto and Ottawa. We also need to look at discrimination within individual cultural groups and other culture/ethnic-based issues that are NOT addressed all in the name of diversity/sensitivity (i.e. we don’t want to “meddle” with other people’s businesses/cultures because we don’t want to be seen as “ignorant.” Well, you’re BEING ignorant just by being too politically correct. You want people to integrate and feel comfortable here? Well, make it easier. Learn about their cultures and find ways to help them or encourage/be allies and ensure they feel they belong – it sometimes takes time to get used to, but most people DO – if they aren’t constantly . We talk about being allies to the LGBTQ communities, but what about newcomers? #justsayin).
Lately, I have had to not just unfollow, but unfriend SEVERAL people on Facebook as they were beginning to get on my nerves. They used to have some kind of reasoning skills, but have somehow become a little more…radical. I get that the world is changing, and not necessarily for the better – there are more and more extreme groups on both sides of the spectrum (more right than left, but I won’t be surprised if that changes) – but I feel like both sides need to put more effort in research. And to look at both sides without killing each other. It only increases stress and anxiety and makes everyone look like they’re in Grade 7. Can we please grow up and do this maturely? There’s a reason why I’ve written posts like “Politics, Determination Stories, Diversity and Privilege,” “On Feminism: Am I Being Shamed?” and others. Of course, this is just a small, personal blog rather than, say, Time or Macleans, so it isn’t like it’s going to get high traffic. And to be honest, many of my peers are too busy being radical to really think or care.
Image by Artur Szczybylo/Shutterstock
