Controversial Management

You know, I don’t travel through life looking for enemies.

I normally wake up every day and try to be the best person I can be. Does that mean I screw up sometimes? Absolutely. Does that mean I’m perfect and everyone should be like me? Absolutely not. But that does mean that I am aware of my actions and I can recognize when they are wrong. Does that mean everyone is always going to like me? Nope. In fact, I have people decide they don’t like me before they ever meet me, because of stupid things like how I look.

As I’ve gotten older, I have realized that most people are inherently good. Even when people do bad things, they don’t have bad intentions. And if they do, they often apologize and situations are mended. I have also realized that some people, no matter what, are bad. And there’s nothing that you can do to change that. I’ve met a couple, and I’ve recently been directly affected by one.

Some people don’t know how to deal with their innermost feelings. They lash out inappropriately, and instead of evaluating themselves and what is going on in their lives, they blame everyone and everything for their problems. Additionally, they lie.

Lying is my BIGGEST PET PEEVE. Is there a problem with slight exaggeration? Maybe not. But flat-out lying and using lies to manipulate people is completely and totally wrong. It is absolutely insane how many people use lying as a tactic to maneuver their way through situations.

You know what I think? I think that liars are the most insecure and helpless people out there. And I think that, when real life hits them, they will find that friends, fortune, and happiness are few and far between. I feel bad for liars, because they are their own worst enemy. Unfortunately, others are often the victims of untruth.  Liars will claw at any thread of fact to bring people to their side.

Maybe I’ve become jaded, because I’ve become extremely skeptical of almost everything I hear. Did she really say that, or are you trying to make me think she did? Does that sound realistic, or does it sound like something straight out of a soap opera? Logic plays a part in this.

It takes a lot to stand up for the right thing. My parents have told me to always stand up for the right thing, even when it’s hard. When I was younger, I didn’t understand how difficult it could be. As I have gotten older, their words have proven true.

Some people think that not taking sides allows them to stay out of a conflict, but that is not always the case. This, consequently, is my second-biggest pet peeve. When you don’t take a side, then you’re not siding with the right. And when you’re not siding with the right, you’re erring on the wrong. Clearly, this is not a big deal in petty situations. But I know people that truly think that by staying out of something, they are keeping the peace.

Well, my friends, the only thing you’re doing is not being loyal. When you know something is wrong, you need to take a stand. You don’t need to be dramatic. You don’t even have to do anything huge. All you need to do, sometimes, is say: “Hey, that’s not okay. You shouldn’t do that.” Or, “I don’t think that’s what happened, you might be getting carried away.” Or, “So-and-so is my friend, and I don’t think he/she would do that.”

It sounds so simple, right? But how many times do people not do that? How many times do people brush away their conscience by telling themselves that they don’t want to cause rifts, or drama?  How many people sit there silently while someone else becomes a victim? Your conscience wears away. It won’t always be there. If you keep pushing it away, you’re just as bad as the wrongdoers.

It’s not right. Everyone knows that.

Don’t be the person who turns a blind eye.

Lately, I’ve been evaluating myself, my friends, and actions. I know that I believe in right and wrong, and if one of my friends needed it, then I would be there in a second. Maybe it sucks taking sides. But maybe, instead of looking it as sides, you need to look at it as taking a stand.

Are you the type of person that would be the first to object when you think something is wrong, or would you be the person that decides it’s wrong when everyone else has? Or worse, will you never decide that it’s wrong?

Additionally, are you going to be the type of person who believes everything you’re told? Are you going to be the person that regrets your decisions (or lack thereof) in ten years?

I apologize if I sound like I’m preaching. Maybe I am, a little. But that’s because I feel so strongly about this issue that I need a creative outlet. Life is so short, and can be full of so many regrets. Ignoring problems because you want to keep your friends, or the peace, is a bad idea. The real problem is the friendship, not the issue. Never, ever settle for less than you deserve. And never let someone else get taken advantage of, or get ridiculed, or walked all over. And always, always, ALWAYS use your brain.

All I can do is try my best, each and every day. If you don’t like me, then that’s your opinion. I might be biased, but I think you’re missing out. Regardless, there is no reason to try and make the entire world’s population dislike me. In the end, your desperation will shine through. For those that choose to side with the desperation, I say good riddance. I only want people that add positively to my life, and if one is swayed easily by lies, then they are not a kindred spirit with me.

Not to be annoying, but T Swift got it right when she sang: “Someday/I’ll be/ living in a big old city /and all you’re ever gonna be is mean”.

Why you gotta be so mean?