Why are some people so mean?

Scribe: God, vamom7678 asks “Why are people so mean?”

God: THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION. I’M GLAD YOU ASKED IT.

Scribe: Thanks.

God: NOT YOU, SCRIBE. I MEANT VAMOM7678.

Scribe: Right.

God: I LOOK AT THE WAY PEOPLE TREAT EACH OTHER AND MARVEL AT HOW CALLOUS AND HURTFUL THEY CAN BE SOMETIMES. THE REASON? I THINK IT BOILS DOWN TO INSECURITY.

Scribe: What do you mean?

God: FOR SOME REASON, WHEN PEOPLE FEEL INSECURE OR DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES OR WITH SPECIFIC ABILITIES, THEY ACT MEAN TO SOMEONE ELSE. IT’S ALMOST LIKE THEY SAY, “I’M DOWN IN THE DUMPS SO I MIGHT AS WELL BRING SOMEONE DOWN WITH ME SO I HAVE COMPANY”. EXCEPT IT’S EVEN WORSE THAN THAT. INSTEAD OF MERELY LOOKING FOR COMPANY, PEOPLE ACTUALLY TRY TO MAKE OTHERS FEEL WORSE THAN THEY FEEL THEMSELVES. IT’S LIKE THEY SAY “I’M DOWN IN THE DUMPS BUT I DON’T FEEL NEARLY AS BAD AS I MADE THAT GUY FEEL.” IN A PERVERSE WAY, THEY ACTUALLY MAKE THEMSELVES FEEL BETTER BY MAKING SOMEONE ELSE FEEL WORSE.

Scribe: That’s terrible.

God: I KNOW. I’VE GIVEN PEOPLE THE CAPACITY FOR SO MUCH KINDNESS AND COMPASSION. WHEN I SEE PEOPLE EXHIBIT DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR LIKE THIS, IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I’VE FAILED.

Scribe: Don’t you think you’re being too hard on yourself?

God: THEY HAVE FAILED ME, AND AS THEIR CREATOR, I FEEL AS IF I’VE FAILED THEM. I TRY TO TAKE SOLACE IN THE FACT THAT IN INSTILLING PEOPLE WITH FREE WILL, I’VE GIVEN THEM THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN PATH, AND NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, THEY MAKE CHOICES THEY (AND I) CAN BE PROUD OF.

Scribe: Still, it definitely hurts when someone is mean to you.

God: OF COURSE IT DOES. YOU JUST NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN SOMEONE IS MEAN TO YOU, IT IS MORE ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS THAN YOUR OWN. DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. AND INSTEAD OF LETTING IT LEAD YOU DOWN THE PATH OF FURTHER DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR (LIKE ROAD RAGE OR KICKING THE DOG), LET IT BE A MODEL OF HOW YOU DON’T WANT TO BE. CHOOSE THE OTHER PATH.

Scribe: I will.

God: I MEANT EVERYONE, SCRIBE, BUT I’M GLAD YOU’RE ON BOARD.