Ok, since I’m a blogger I try and keep up with social issues. When something is a hot topic or social button I will hit on that subject via written word on my website. I’ll give my take, and the interesting part is that those articles typically get a lot of hits. People like reading about the topics that are making them rave. They enjoy commentary on the latest subject that caused them a rise. Most readers enjoy controversial topics, and when I see one come up I’ll usually give it a spin.
Except this one. Lord, this one. And yes, I am directing that comment to the Lord because only God knows why we’re even talking about it. If you’ve been off social media, apparently people are upset about people upset about the casting choice of Ariel. Because she’s black. Sigh.
Ok, the Disney cartoon had her represented one way. Check. And I could even kinda understand some Disney fans desiring the live action movie to parallel the cartoon character they grew to love. What I do not understand is the wave of wails that followed.
As I researched the topic I was flabbergasted. Like, why is this getting everyone up in arms, I wondered. It’s a fictional character, am I right? It’s not like they were suggesting a movie of Princess Diana’s life, and they were casting Angela Bassett (who I adore) as Lady Di herself. It’s a movie about mermaids, and as much as my daughters wished they were real, they are not. So, I was confused. Why was this a thing? Who got mad about a fairy tale?
I almost threw away the whole idea of writing on the topic. It was laughable, and I knew that even with my flair for the imaginative, I couldn’t conjure up a post out of nothing. It was nothingness! Right?
But I dug a little deeper. I kept seeing stuff on Facebook about the “backlash,” and I kept looking. Uhhh, where’s the backlash? None of my friends or even acquaintances were throwing a fit about the casting selection. If anything, the only posts I saw were friends ridiculing the ridiculousness of the whole affair. Imagine that! I really had to dig. Maybe my Facebook friends were just too focused on real life issues, you know?
I took to Google, and after a few E-news stories, which, once again, just told about the “backlash” with little evidence of any upset, I was like, hmmm. It’s almost as if the media was trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, but nah, that never happens. The media doesn’t stir the pot just for ratings. Smh.
Well, eventually I came upon an article that read, “the White Weather Channel had to issue a flash flood warning because of a sudden deluge of white tears.” It went on to describe the “Caucasian outrage” over the casting of a black character and the creation of the racist hashtag #notmyariel. Y’all know I had to go check out Twitter!
Sadly, the first post I saw was a petition gathering signatures to get back a more traditional Ariel that mirrored the Disney cartoon. Well, I say sad, but as I read the link it actually became quite laughable. As I read it I imagined it in a squeaky young man’s voice. I couldn’t imagine an adult had written the words, and if they had, they weren’t very mature. The description of how it ripped away the very essence of their childhood. Y’all, I don’t know how I kept from laughing. I mean, you’ve got to be kidding, yes? But alas, I do not think young Stuart was joking. And he got 238 of his friends to agree with him. Crazy that over 200 people agree this is an issue enough to sign a meaningless petition, but then again, 238 isn’t much compared to the rest of us that don’t live with our moms.
Or, it could not even be a real thing. Hard to say, and not really worth my consideration. I read on as the #notmyariel Twitter trail continued. Only 300 of that particular hashtag could be found on the day I searched, so rather than a “backlash,” I might call it a thump. Yeah. And a lot of the posts I found there were again, similar to Facebook, people calling it idiotic to even be a thing. So, at least it seems the majority of the world agrees with me that tripping over Triton’s daughter isn’t even worthwhile.
Reading some of the tweets (especially those highlighted in particular media platforms to encourage division) I realized some folks were offended. They thought the world was trying too hard to be politically correct. They thought it was overboard satiation of loud voices. In other words, they felt a black woman had been cast to make black people happy.
Whites were offended!
At the onslaught of these very limited and small number of offended people, the other people got offended. Hence, the article I quoted above.
Blacks were offended!
Because whites were offended.
Sea Life Weekly detailed the protest 10,000 feet down in the Western Pacific Ocean by mer-people everywhere over the insensitive depiction of their kind. Hello, they don’t want legs! Didn’t any of you see Don Knotts in The Incredible Mr. Limpet?!
Even mermaids were offended.
Friends of mine on Facebook were offended by the faceless people out there somewhere who were offended!
About what, you ask? I don’t know. I forgot. What were we talking about?
Y’all! We live in a world of offense, and it’s exhausting. Even if there’s nothing to be offended about, people are offended. Atheists are offended by Christians. Christians are offended by Atheists. Heterosexuals are offended by homosexuals, or so the media tells me. I think what it all boils down to is selfishness. We live in a selfish time, and instead of people just being happy with their life, they are too worried how someone else’s may upset their own. Everyone has a voice thanks to social media, and some of y’all weren’t taught by your mommas to think before you speak. And it shows.
Today I had a patient speak rudely to me. He wasn’t even my patient. What he was mad about had zero to do with me! I just happened to be on the receiving end of his anger at the time. My knee-jerk reaction was to get mad too.
He didn’t have the right to talk to me like that!
But then I paused. He was sick in the hospital. I, on the other hand, was not. And while, yes, it sucks being a punching bag for other’s hurt feelings, I was good. My life was good. He didn’t hurt my feelings, but if he had, that really would have been the worst of it. I could get offended, but why? I was good; my life was golden. His situation stunk for him, and he was projecting that on me, but it didn’t have anything really to do with me, nor was it going to affect me long term.
I was reminded of the guy in The Hangover, “but did you die?!”
And really that’s what we need to be thinking, America. Why are we so darn offended? And over what?!
You don’t like that person’s opinion? Who cares! Are they forcing it upon you? No? Then chill.
But it’s not fair!
Again, but did you die? Did you really?
I have a secret. Come closer.
THE WORLD DOESN’T REVOLVE AROUND YOU!
It doesn’t revolve around me. But most importantly, it doesn’t revolve around the person who offended you! They’re not the sun! So stop giving them the time of day. Relax. Let go of offense. To be offended is really to hold yourself back. When you’re too focused on an offense against yourself, you’re blinded to all the blessings in your life.
Hello, first world problems! We’re lucky we have the liberty and ability to be offended about a movie cast. Some folks are just wondering how to find clean water to drink, but tell me again how Ariel having porcelain skin and red hair makes you feel safe and loved like you did as a child. *Quietly sips tea.
You want to know who’s not offended? Me. Despite this post about being offended (ironic, right), I am zero offended. I. Don’t. Care. I care about my kids, my husband, the people I care for in my job as a nurse, and showing love to everyone I encounter. If you offend me, I still love you, but I don’t care. I don’t care that you offended me. That’s on you. If I say something insensitive, sure, let me know. I’m always willing to improve self, but might I suggest asking yourself honestly about the things that you believe to be offensive. Will this matter in the long term? Or perhaps, does this affect your life negatively? Nine out of ten offenses don’t matter. Sticks and stones, and what-not. We all need to remind ourselves we’re not all that and a bag of chips. Life will go on living tomorrow after our feelings get hurt.
Listen, I’m really sensitive. I’ve always described myself that way, and for far too many years I let others negatively impact me. I cared too much the opinion of others, but then I realized that life was fuller when I let go of offense. I realized it was selfish of me to think everyone should think like me. It was selfish of me to place too much value on my exterior feelings. You see, those angry, hurt feelings we get are like shingles. They’re on the outside of our house. All the valuables we keep inside. And while you have to keep maintenance on your roof to prevent leaks, you don’t go and sit on the roof yelling at the rain to quit wetting your shingles. You know that rain will fall. You can’t stop it. Seal it real good, come inside, and enjoy what’s in there. That’s where your valuables are. The rain isn’t asking to come inside and use your favorite coffee cup. Relax.
Not everything is offensive, guys. Not every decision made in this world is to spite you. Sorry, but true. Perhaps our time would better be spent on the things that truly matter. There’s probably a little girl named Ariel being sex trafficked as we speak. Let’s worry about her.
Maybe we could stop putting words in other people’s mouth. Maybe we could stop hypothesizing why someone said something that didn’t really mean anything. Sometimes a banana peel is trash and not a racial innuendo. Sometimes people are stupid, or their parents didn’t teach them to be kind. Somewhere out there I’ll bet there is a bigot who is tweeting #notmyariel for shameful reasons, but please remember those types don’t shine as bright as the lovers of all people. Those folks who shine their light of love, they’re out there too, you know? Let’s give them our time, not the haters.
So, why do we care about a mermaid? We don’t! We shouldn’t. There’s plenty more fish in the sea. No need to fry up the minnows.
Lisa Pierce says
I love this from beginning to end. But the shingles metaphor really hit home with me. I needed that today! I have been angry at my pastor for offending and hurting my youngest granddaughter. It’s a ling story but your post made me realize what someone else told me that didn’t sink in. I was more offended than my granddaughter. Thanks for sharing your gift of words. It spoke volumes!
I hope you see this, as my comments for your past 3 or 4 posts have not been posted.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad this post spoke to your heart.
Ashley says
I absolutely love this. This is a message I am trying so hard to instill into my daughter for many many reasons. Everyone can’t be everything to everybody. Moreover, everyone SHOULDN’T be everything to everybody. We are all imperfect. Let’s just get over it and try to live in peace. I know that’s hard, because feelings definitely hurt sometimes. But maybe if we leave all the extra off (like said mermaid that isn’t even real) it might be just a little easier? Maybe?
Again, love this, and all of your posts!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you!
Dave says
Jesus, our perfect example simply said, Father forgive them for they know not what they do! He took the offense and even betrayal from His own so we can have the wonderful gift of eternal life! What a Savior!!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Yes! Hallelujah!