Let People Like Things: A Rant

Hello, everyone. Today I have yet another rant for you. This one's important, so listen up.

There is a lot going on in today's world. A lot. It's stressful. It's exhausting. It's sad. We are surrounded by the internet and social media and television. The news delivers devastating stories daily. I see horrible things I wish I could un-see. Hear things that repeat in my head over and over. Things that haunt me and make me wonder what happened to the world.

On top of this, there's school, and work, and probably countless other things. It's nearly impossible to get rid of and over time, it can take a toll on someone. People need a way to escape. To relax. To leave this world for a while.

So if someone wants to do something that makes life easier for them, for the love of all that is good in the world,

Just.

Don't.

Say.

Anything.

It sounds ridiculous, right? To judge someone for doing something that's meant to make them happy and not anyone else?

That's because it is.

So don't do it.

Let people like things. Let people do what makes them happy. Let people live their lives without fear of judgement. I don't care if it's "basic" or whatever. Let them like it. Please. We don't have a single clue what's going on in their lives. Not a clue. That little thing they like may be the one thing that brings them joy in a world full of chaos, and when they receive judgement for it, it can hurt more than you think it will.

It can be anything as simple as ordering a pumpkin spice latte to obsessing over an artist or band. It can be a hobby of theirs. It can be a show they watch. It can be something they wear. It can be a ritual they do every day. I do not care what it is or how strange you think it is.

Don't say anything.

Let people do what they want to escape the world for even half a second. Let them do what makes living in this world even a little bit easier. We have to find a way to escape. Everyone cannot sit on autopilot all the time and pretend they're okay. That is dangerous and toxic to our mental health. If we bottle things up, eventually we'll explode in a wave of anger and sadness and thoughts we probably don't understand. We HAVE to make time to do things that make us happy, and we can't judge others for doing what makes them happy.

Conclusion: If someone likes something that you find weird, keep it to yourself.

Thank you.

Love, Hannah