What’s the problem? I’ve been asking myself that a lot lately. What’s the problem in the world today? Why are things going so seemingly to shit? Why does it feel scary? Why do we feel so alone in a time when we’re more connected than ever? Why does negativity, violence, and destruction dominate our media consumption? Why do I send my friends links to things that piss me off or that we can poke fun at more than I tell them I love and care about them? Why can’t I name all the schools that have suffered shootings? Shit, why can’t I even name the kids killed? But I know the shooters. Why the fuck is nobody happy?!
Maybe it’s the fault of the media for constantly feeding us with negativity, tragedy, and destruction. Maybe it’s technology for pulling us away from our neighbor and into our devices. Maybe it’s years of buried social injustices now showing it’s grown and ugly face. Maybe it’s retrogressive political agendas that are polarizing our society. Maybe it’s the chemicals in our foods. Maybe it’s all of them.
The problem doesn’t lie within one facet of our society. It’s not a monster created in one person’s basement let out and is now terrorizing our lives. It’s not just one thing we can point out and have removed. We are dealing with a lot of problems that each need the proper time, care, and effort they deserve.
People are being killed in church, in movie theatres, kids are being killed in school.
Women are continuously being assaulted, harassed, raped, and then put down and shamed when they tell their truth.
Human beings are the most advanced species occupying Earth currently. Yet we struggle to provide clean water to its inhabitants, not to mention food, shelter, or electricity.
In a world that is dealing with terms like “overpopulation” and “global connectedness”, the amount of people who feel alone and isolated is increasing.
Statistics show that Suicide is on a steady rise and as we have seen from countless examples and losses, isn’t limited to age, race, gender, wealth, or social status.
Racism, bigotry, oppression, and overall prejudice and discrimination are alive and STILL a prominent problem in society.
I think the problem lies with how we deal with our problems – looking for quick fixes to long term issues and easy solutions where no easy solutions exist, then abandoning each problem for a new one. Addressing the problem is only one step. A very important step, but a step all the same. Actually dealing with problems requires more than double-tapping a photo, more than sharing it with friends, more than writing a blog. Finding solutions to these tough problems will take a lot of work and effort. It will take resilience, commitment, teamwork, and patience. No changes will be made if the problems addressed continue to be forgotten after a few scrolls. “Out of sight, out of mind” is not allowed. It can’t be because these issues are right in front of us, staring at us, pleading and begging and crying and SCREAMING for us to lift our head up from our screens and give them the attention they so desperately need.
When I first started my endeavor with PEAR – creating a product, platform, outlet – I believed that it could truly benefit people and I believe it more than ever now. What I continue to learn each day as I get deeper into this work, is how much more there is that needs to be done, how great the stakes are, and that this work is far from easy. I can do more.
It’s going to take time. It’s going to take communication. There will be a thousand obstacles and frustrations. It’s going to be hard.
I plan on working harder.
