Facing the monsters in the closet | Teen Ink

Facing the monsters in the closet

June 8, 2010
By javajournalist GOLD, Leawood, Kansas
javajournalist GOLD, Leawood, Kansas
11 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Whether someone is wearing a prim suit or a collection of rags, a person is a person. Yet when a homeless man in New York City was stabbed to death when trying to help a woman being mugged, over 20 people walked past and left him there to die. None of those people called the police.
Many push the blame on these New Yorker passersby, as if they were simply a bunch of heartless city slickers. That may be true, but I doubt it’s the root of the issue. The sad truth is that people avoid uncomfortable things. We all avert our eyes from pitiful panhandlers on the street and shy away from subjects that cause bristling and squirming. Not that we should pick fights, of course. But there’s a fine line between pacifism and avoidance. Bad things don’t go away simply because you ignore them. In fact, uncomfortable topics and problems tend to stick around and nag at people. No matter how much those New Yorkers tried to pretend the grisly scene wasn’t there, a man still lie bleeding on the ground. Skirted topics and problems can become corpses too.
The chances of stumbling upon a dying victim in my safely suburban hometown of Leawood are pretty slim, thankfully. But the attitude of avoidance is a familiar figure, especially in affluent areas. We like to think that we can avoid yucky things and they’ll just disappear, cured by the magical properties of “the bubble.” Things shoved under the bed only gather ghastly mold, though. As unpleasant as it may be, we have to face problems head-on. That doesn't mean putting up arms. It simply means calmly and rationally addressing problems, discussing concerns, and—most importantly— remaining open to solutions. The only way to beat the monsters in the closet is to drag them into the open.

The author's comments:
This event happened a few months ago, but it really struck me. It seems to only prove the criticisms that Americans are becoming more selfish and inhumane. I have to admit, I would freeze if I saw someone get stabbed-- I would have no idea what to do. But it's shockingly sad, in my opinion, that no one could take a second to help this man. This sort of thing probably hasn't happened to most people-- or ever will-- but it seems to hint something about what we're becoming.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.