I would like you to take a moment to think about some of the articles and comments you have seen online. I promise I will wait a moment while you think.
Now that that is out of the way, if you think anything like me chances are you remembered at least a couple very negative comments. You know the type, “If you believe this you are part of the problem,” or “People like this are the reason society is like this,” or maybe even worse.
This could even be an article on how internet communication, not face to face, entices more criticism. However, I am going to take this a different way, and give you all another viewpoint.
Have you ever realized how similar you are to the person, or people by you? As I was sitting through a biology lecture, I was informed that all people are made up of 11 elements. Ninety-nine percent of those elements are Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Calcium, and Phosphorus. The other about one percent are Potassium, Sulfur, Sodium, Chlorine, and Magnesium. That is all, there are no extra elements for different people, just these.
Let us indulge this train of thought even further. These elemental atoms make up cells, which make up tissues. These tissues go on to make organs. Now, I am not so ignorant to say we are all born with the same organs. While most of us are, some are missing one or two, or may even have double.
However, one thing remains true, these organs when present carry out the same function. It is a common principle in biology that the form dictates function, and we are no exception. If you have a heart, even if it is assisted, it beats. If you have a lung, it breathes.
I can hear the critiques now, “Jake, just because I have a heart doesn’t mean I am a copy paste of the gentlemen next to me.” You couldn’t be more correct. Researchers have noted that children are able to notice differences between themselves and others as early as six months. These differences that children notice are mostly superficial. Her eyes are different, his skin color is different.
I am sure that this was not what you were mentioning though. I am willing to wager that we all believe we are incredibly different because of our thoughts. We all think differently, come up with different ideas, paint different pictures, and have different morals.
These different ideas come from different upbringing. I know for me, I was a young white male raised in the military, moving every year or so. I have a friend that has lived in Dayton her whole life, raised by an American father and a Filipino mother. Now I ask you another question, shouldn’t this be celebrated?
Look at how far culture and thinking has come in the past 2000 years. The print and press was invented which changed the world, Holy Books were written, the cell was discovered, man even finally learned to fly. Perhaps one of the most notable recent happening was the ushering in of the era of information, thanks to the invention of the internet, further made better by programs like Google.
No one man or woman accomplished all of these tasks, no one nation. This was more or less the combined effort of people from all over the world. Without these differences in culture, and upbringing, how could any of these wonderful things have happened?
At the end of the day we are all made up of the same stuff. Our cells all reproduce, and we are all capable of feeling. That alone is more than enough for me to love my fellow man, and celebrate their different ideas and thoughts.
In today’s extremely diverse world, remember to appreciate the differences around you, see how similar you are to everyone else and maybe don’t leave a hateful comment on the next blog you read.
Jacob Conger
Reporter