I wanted to share a piece Shane Koyczan wrote in response to his video, "Troll", which addresses bullying and online abuse, reaching 2 million views. I was first introduced to Shane's spoken word in high school English class, and have been hooked ever since. I listen to his spoken word almost daily. I am forever in awe of this man's ability to string words together perfectly, with such incredible truth and accuracy. This is just one example of his talent, but if interested in supporting him or hearing more, please check out his website here. "I was once accused of writing this piece as a kind of teflon... something to keep criticism from sticking to me. I suppose they believed that I could point to any disparagers and simply label and dismiss them. I doubt the author of that criticism ever considered the kind of online abuse and retribution that came with putting a piece like this forward... it was a little less teflon and a little more lightning rod, but ask anyone who worked with me on this project and they'll tell you that I knew it was going to be that going in... you don't poke the beast and expect not to be bitten. In truth, the piece was written after receiving an overwhelming number of letters asking me to address online abuse. Of course, I realize that the culture of trolling is meant as jest and ribbing... a way to challenge beliefs and get under the skin of others, but there's a sinister side to it as well... the kind that insists it's only fun, but knows that it isn't. Growing up I never had to deal with the kind of invasive bullying that many face today. The advent of social media and the internet has had positive and negative effects on many lives... but it's difficult to outright condemn something that has connected the world in such a powerful way. The complaint I hear most often is that people need to develop a thicker skin if they're going to use their voice on the internet. What I think is easy to forget is that not everyone you encounter on the other end of your keyboard has had same life as you. No one is diminishing the challenges you've faced, only asking you to consider that perhaps just last night someone was able to talk themselves into living for another day. There's no way for anyone to know what kind of addictions, mental illnesses (and yes... a sociopath is someone with a mental illness... so understanding must go both ways on this... perhaps a troll is someone with an antisocial personality disorder), or obstacles another person is digging through, but the last thing they need is another person shoveling the dirt back onto them. Anonymity is a mask that affords its wearer a certain level of invisibility... what isn't invisible, though, are the effects of the actions taken while cloaked in this kind of namelessness. Yes... there are those who, in obscurity, crusade to help others... and there are those who, under that same veil, march against the goodwill of strangers. Historically it's always been easier to tear someone down than it is to hold them up, but why can't that remain history? What's keeping us from evolving? Perhaps there's a great fear in finally being equal... maybe some cling too tightly to the idea that the balcony they use to look down on people should never be made street level. The myriad of excuses we've used to separate one another (race, sex, wealth, belief, physicality, sexual proclivity, political ideology, and further down the endless list it goes) are not walls to be built higher... they have only served to elevate few to lord over the many. The challenge exists in recognizing our privilege... not to be ashamed of it, but to acknowledge it and move toward building something that raises us all to the same station. Until then there will always be these masks... some worn by heroes... others by villains."
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If you know me, you likely know that I love a good TED talk, keynote or thought-provoking article. I've included this page to share some of my favourites, or just those that I think provide interesting perspectives worth considering. I don't necessarily agree with everything being said in all of them, but I think it's important to challenge your thinking and be exposed to different perspectives.
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