Harsh Language Causes False Realities by Meghna

The girl who doesn’t tell people she likes Harry Potter. Who doesn’t tell people she likes Harry Potter because of an incident she had when she was a teenager. When someone called her a Harry Potter “whore”. No one likes being called a “whore”. Even for a stupid reason like liking a book. Speaking without thinking. That’s the main reason for teenagers to lack confidence and self esteem because someone has led them to believing in false realities. Studies show that 4 out of 5 people have been affected by speaking without thinking. Those are big numbers. That shows that almost everyone has been put down or has been the cause for someone else to be put down.

Simple things like a miss slip of a word here and there can cause someone to doubt themselves. To think that they are not good enough. The consequences of speaking without thinking has started to show recently. Events everyday illustrate how prone we have become to respond with negative words. Such language, although we may not realise it, can really put someone down. Even us, at some point in our lives, have spoken without thinking even at the slightest of words. I believe that speaking without thinking is a serious issue that demands to be addressed as soon as possible.

Speaking without thinking has taken a serious and dramatic turn in the way we are seeing ourselves and the way society is being formed. Indeed, teenagers especially are the easiest and most impacted targets for this as they are the most prone to express their opinions. Experts say that during growing years, teenagers are still struggling to find themselves and find their voice and that certainly can’t be easy with someone putting you down at every stage of your life. Mallika Shankar, an 8th grade student, does not hesitate to express her opinion on the matter. “Speaking without thinking is a problem that affects people, especially teenagers who are still trying to find their voice and their opinion, which they might not realise, but their opinion could hurt someone”. This offers perspective on the issue through a teenager who struggles to find her voice and admits that she has put down someone.

Indeed, speaking without thinking is a real life problem that needs a real life solution. Real life stories have demonstrated the extremes and consequences of speaking without thinking. On the 11th of November at 3:52, a middle school cross country athlete trudged his way across to the library where he could finally put his bags down. Another boy approached him and demanded to know where he placed. Ashamed and almost embarrassed the cross country athlete almost whispered the words “I placed 31st”. The other boy snickered and let out a snarky comment, “What, I thought you were good”.

Is this why we send kids to school? Is this what you would call “character building”? Is this the only thing that teenagers take during their teenage years? That their best is not good enough and will never be because someone will always find a fault in you. Because someone will always feel the need to comment on you. To correct you. To tell you that you’re not good enough.

Why do we do this? Why do we continue to open our mouths to express our feelings and our opinions when we know they could hurt someone? Why do we continue to take others words seriously when we know that they didn’t mean it? We don’t do this because we are afraid that what they have said could actually be true. We are scared to think for ourselves. To be confident in ourselves and admit that we did try the best we could. I believe that this is a serious issue that needs an immediate solution and you should to. One of the easiest and simplest solutions that we can all do is to think before you speak. To think before you open your mouth. To think before you hurt someone.