"Just words can't hurt." "Just words can't heal." "Just words can't shut people up." Oh, yes they can. Ask Tracy Chapman. In 1988 she hurt bigots, healed lovesick people and shut up 60,000 people at Wembley. With 'just words'.
Just listen to the amazing - just 24 years young at the time - Tracey Chapman singing the song that would become a huge hit and inspiration. Here's Fast Car:
The people using words like groomer, woke, pedo, left, socialist, fascist, communist, antisemite... should be locked up in their bedroom at their mommy's place and only allowed out for lemonade and a cookie if they get the meaning right.
Here's something I wrote in reply to a young man who looks up to people like Andrew Tate:
You can be a writer someday. When you're a grown man, treat women with the same respect you give your grandma. No, you don't want to quit these lessons. You're different but that makes you special.
We may not always realize, but words that teachers, coaches, parents say to children - even if spoken in the most off handed way - have a tendency to resonate. Choose them well.
We eat processed foods and consume alcohol. Both in large amounts. Although we know it's bad for us and responsible for millions of deaths world wide and next to that put enormous stress on national healthcare systems. Children might not know better but even when they do...
Eating vegan and staying sober is not just better for us humans but also for other animals and nature.
Most of us don't get enough excercise and while I'm typing this, I know it would be better for my mental and physical health if I would just go out for a walk instead of sitting at my desk for an extra hour or so. Even if I tell myself I'm 'working' or 'it's for a good cause'.
So I ask myself the same question as I ask you now: do we want to live unhealthy?
