“Everyone’s Doing It”

Remember when we were kids, and our parents told us we couldn’t do something, our answer was “everyone’s doing it”? And our parents had an answer ready for us too, probably the same answer their parents gave them: “If everyone jumped off the bridge, would you jump too?”

Whatever happened to today’s parents passing along that little tidbit of wisdom? Whatever happened to those children of yesterday learning that lesson and following that guidance as adults?

There are many stupid trends that so many people just follow along like good little sheep. Remember the Tide Pod Challenge? How many did it because “everyone’s doing it”?

I could expand on just these stupid little things that people have “just had to do”, but there are much bigger things. Too many people today rely on others’ lives and decisions to determine how they live their own lives.

“Keeping up with the Joneses” is a similar example. We may not be able to afford that expensive toy, but if the Joneses have one, we need to go into debt to get it.

“Everyone’s doing it” is a lousy excuse for why WE did something. Others are responsible for their own behavior and will pay the consequences for what they do. WE are responsible for our lives and what we choose to do, no matter the reason.

We used to be able to say “it’s against the law,” and it was enough reason to avoid doing it. Even that isn’t a good enough reason. Some things can be lawful and still be morally wrong.

What’s right or wrong should be written in our moral code. We shouldn’t need to be told it’s wrong to murder someone. Nobody needs to create a law to tell us that cruelty to people in general is not a good thing.

If murder were lawful, would it then be OK? If “everyone’s doing it”, would you be able to kill another person just because you didn’t like them? Or would your moral code stop you from doing something you know is just outright wrong?

How about bullying others? There’s no law on the books that states outright that you can’t bully another person. But the majority of people you ask about it should tell you that it’s morally and ethically wrong and should never happen.

Yet it does. And bullies have silent followers. These are the people who don’t stand up to the bullies. Or those who point fingers because “everyone’s doing it” and they don’t want to stand out.

Those who stand out are the heroes. People who don’t just fall in line with whatever’s popular at the moment are the brave warriors in our world today.

Be not afraid to be different. Choose to stand up and be loud and proud for not following the crowd. Be your own person despite what others say or think.

There aren’t enough of these people today. Will you be one?