Every time I browse Twitter or Reddit, it feels like the most popular sport of the day is mudslinging. People are mean, angry and ruthlessly judge, ridicule and deflate others. Social mobs are ready to get cancel hashtags trending for anything or anyone who doesn't meet their finicky standard of perfection that they can neither articulate or pass themselves. These attitudes have also inevitably crept from online to in-person interactions as well.
When we draw more lines between us and "others" and when we judge and hate, we box and limit our own experience of friendship, love and happiness. Hate, anger, judgement and tribalism take as much or more away from us as they do to the person they are directed at. These attitudes are powerful forces that attract attention, engagement and followers, so become infectious and snowball quickly.
The antidote struck me today when I was watching a TV show, Ted Lasso. It's about an American football coach who's selected to be a Premier League soccer coach. Everyone thinks he is unqualified and openly detest him. But Ted Lasso is unaffected by that. He's ego-less, selfless, ever positive, kind, patient, accepting, loving, empathetic and well-meaning coach to everyone, including those who absolutely hate him. He wins over people one at a time and changes them to be more like him. I'm only 3 episodes in, so I can only guess how it ends, but it's absolutely refreshing, heart warming and inspiring to watch, even if it is a tad cheesy.
The show has become quite popular, so it gives me hope that kindness, love and optimism can be equally powerful forces. Let's all be more like Ted Lasso online, at home and at work. Let's start a snowball of love and kindness.