When does the way a situation makes us feel matter? In the media, there are countless feel-good stories or call-to-arms stories against-this or for-that stories. Much of what I hear in my circles of interest is that feelings don’t create facts, which I think is true.
Just because someone feels indignant about a situation or even hopeful about one does not equate to it being fact or fiction. What I do know is that one of the biggest changes in American history happened because of how people felt. The Civil Rights Movement did not make much headway until the plight of Black people was broadcast into the home of the average American. When that occurred, the feelings of those moms, dads, sisters, brothers, and such saw the inhumanity of what was heaped upon a group of people and caused a nation to change.
Right now, millions of Americans feel something within them. Some feel as though they are marginalized and need to be heard. Some feel that those people should not be heard because of how in the past they were marginalized and were not heard. Some feel that forgiveness needs to occur. Others feel that war is inevitable.
Feelings may not create facts, it is true. Feelings do bring about situations. The fact is: Feelings are the modicum of change in America. May it is not so small. Maybe feelings are the impetus of change. Feelings were no small part of the change that moved the nation into the War on Terror after over 3000 people were murder by cowardly actions on September 11, 2001.
Thousands of people joined or attempted to join the military to seek revenge based on feelings, including me, though I did not succeed in getting accepted. Millions of people are nursing racist view because of that same incident.
Americans of Japanese heritage became the villains of World War II because of how people felt. Jews were murdered in the millions because of feelings in German about how they were the cause of the economic problems of a segment of that nation’s population.
So, feelings run the world. Feelings may not create facts, but they rule our actions. Who feels America is the best nation in the world? I do. Is that based on fact or feelings? I would say it is based on the fact that we are a free society and other nations wish they could have the freedoms we enjoy. That is a feeling, though.
Is it true? Does it matter? I am going to feel that way whether it is proven a fact or not. Feelings motivate actions. If I feel free, I will display it in my home, in my actions, and in my words. If I feel confined, I will display that sentiment.
Think closely about the people we judge and how they feel about their lives. Their perceptions may not be based on fact, but feelings are what run the world.
Mental Musing 