Originally, this was going to be a contrived back-to-school message with all the same stuff we hear every year we return to Ball State. Thankfully it's not.
This is, however, going to take a step away from the entertainment-oriented content I typically focus on in order to convey a simple message that most people will find easy to understand but difficult to practice. Cynics will find this request laughable and will likely miss the point. I'll try not to get too preachy.
What I want to say is simple: Treat your fellow classmates (and fellow man in general) in a manner you would like to see reciprocated. I say this because all too often we forget that we, as individuals, are not the only conscious human beings on this planet.
Others exist outside of our conscious selves. They feel emotion as we do. They can feel happiness, sadness, hope, despair, excitement, anxiety, fear and anguish. They are human and should be treated as such.
Be considerate. Be compassionate. Be kind. Be supportive. Remember the Golden Rule. Practice it.
It's a simple request and seems absurd that I should have to devote this space online and in print to share it.
Think of it as a reminder, because we live in a time where being cold and distant is practically the norm. Friendships have seemingly been cheapened in the sense they are now determined by whether one accepts another's friend request on a social networking site.
And online social networking is growing at an alarming rate, according to a Nielsen report released earlier this year. The report said social networking has increased by 82 percent from last year in the United States alone. Facebook, the most popular social networking website in the world, has more than 500 million registered users as of July, according to the report.
I'm not saying that using Facebook will turn you into an impersonal zombie, and I'm definitely not saying we should all don tinfoil hats to shield our brains from all those mind-control satellites currently in orbit.
I'm simply requesting that in your personal, daily interactions, you treat your classmates, friends, family and whomever you might run into with compassion and respect. Yes, even you cynics who believe that no good exists in this world.
Essentially, I'm asking you to be somewhat like Fred Rogers, arguably one of the most genuinely caring and compassionate people out there. He enthralled generations of children with his public television program "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" every weekday morning for more than three decades.
I'm sure many readers remember watching Rogers' program. The show covered a plethora of issues that young children would likely face growing up, such as social interactions and dealing with issues such as anger and grief. In numerous episodes, Rogers would reaffirm that each and every one of us is special.
I'll attempt to paraphrase most of what Fred Rogers wanted each and every one of us to know during his show's 33 year run. Picture him saying this, directed to you:
"You are special. You are unique in your own particular way and there never has been nor ever will be anyone quite like you. You are loved by someone and you should be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished. I am proud of you. You do not need to change for anyone. It's you I like and I wouldn't change a thing about you. That's what makes you special."
Wouldn't it be great to wake up in the morning, start your daily routine and, at one point, have a friend, family member or even a casual acquaintance convey that to you sincerely?
I imagine it would make many people feel better about themselves and about life if they were to have someone tell them on a regular basis that they weren't useless. I like when people tell that to me, and I like to tell that to other people.
It feels good to make others happy or feel better about themselves. Personally, I find great enjoyment in making others happy, even for a brief moment. Self-gratification, however, is not the primary reason we should hand out compliments or praise. We should do it because we mean it.
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