When you don’t think of them as dummies, something amazing happens.
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In our current time in human history we are as advanced as we have ever been. We can cure diseases that once wiped out thousands of lives. Pictures and video can be captured by a phone that once was only used to make calls. We have an African American President and a woman who is a strong candidate to win the oval office. I can communicate with anyone on the planet without having to pay long distance charges. We are truly living during an awesome time in our history.
However there are things that have stayed the same or in some cases gotten worse. Countries still war amongst themselves over territory. People still kill in the name of religion. Bullying has gone super nova with the reach that social media has to the point that now a bully can reach you in your own home. Watching politics is like watching a UFC fight where both parties are willing to do anything to win. There is no room for compromise because there is a fear that it reflects weakness. This black and white type of thinking leads to our loss of a functioning governing that is willing to do what’s best for everyone. Not just the majority or the minority.
Watching the candidates take each other down is like political Hunger Games but in this story we all lose.
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I believe many of these issues are treatable, which is why I wanted to share this car commercial that has a powerful narrative meant to gain our trust as consumers but may have stumbled upon a more powerful message.
The commercial starts off with a crash dummy tester placing eerily life like dummies into a car. You see him gently carrying and placing a woman and her children into the vehicle. Then when the camera shoots a wide shot of the front windshield you find that the dummy behind the wheel is none other then a replica of himself. With hesitation and compassion he wonders if he should push the button and then inevitably does.
The video ends with the slogan, “When you don’t think of them as dummies, something amazing happens”.
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When I first saw this commercial on television I almost jumped off f my couch and yelled, “Amen.” This is what we’re missing in the world today, especially in politics where the other side is nothing but their political label. They’re more than just a dummy they’re the enemy. Watching the candidates take each other down is like political Hunger Games but in this story we all lose.
How are we supposed to move forward and solve problems in Washington when no one can see the other as a human being. Everything has become black and white. Not leaving room for gray has made our system slow down. Without anyone willing to budge we can’t come up with solutions for issues like gun control, abortions, or immigration just to name a few.
What if the next time we talk about immigration issues we don’t see them as leeches on our society but as individuals wanting better for themselves and their family?
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But this message is not only for politicians but for all of us when it comes down to the issue of bullying. Whether it’s the victim or the bully, we as a society need to see each other as human beings. We need to see the bully as a brother or the victim as our sister. School administrators and educators need to see their students as loved ones. People they’d protect and believe in.
If we can see the “other” as a human being how would that affect our everyday decisions?
Instead of yelling at someone who cut us off on the road maybe we would slow down and remember when we were in a rush. Maybe the next time we pass a homeless person we won’t sneer and see them as lazy or crazy but instead as a family member. Someone we’d go out of our way to help and support during a hard time. What if the next time we talk about immigration issues we don’t see them as leeches on our society but as individuals wanting better for themselves and their family? No different than what we want for ourselves.
So next time you are about to make a decision about someone else ask yourself, “What if they were someone you loved?”
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Photo: Youtube/Acura