Humanity at a Loss

These days, I don’t even know how to answer the simple question, "How are you?" without feeling like I'm lying. Sure, I have my own struggles, but what really gets me is the overwhelming selfishness around me. Everywhere I look, people seem more concerned about money, status, or getting laid than anything meaningful.

I’m not here asking where true love went, let's be real, that concept packed its bags and left the human experience long ago. But what happened to basic human values? Where’s the compassion? You don’t have to shower people with praise, but why do we push others to the point where they regret ever being kind? I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve witnessed selfish behavior, from coworkers, family members, even those I thought I could rely on...

When I see people who seem genuinely happy, a part of me immediately questions it. Is anyone truly happy anymore, or are we all just pretending for the 'gram? Funny thing, I saw a reel of a couple all smiles, and someone actually commented, "How are you both so happy in life?" Imagine that, genuine happiness is now a suspicious activity. It’s sad when you can’t even see joy without doubting it. Have we all become so jaded that we assume even happiness is fake?

Here’s another example, this might sound a bit petty, but it really shows how little people appreciate the effort you put in. You decide to support a small business on Instagram, right? You spend your time creating a video, really putting in the effort, thinking your review would actually mean something to them. But what do you get back? Just a basic “thank you,” and that’s it. It’s not like you’re asking for fame or anything, but you genuinely value their product and the work that goes into it. It’s not about wanting applause, it’s about mutual respect. Why is reciprocation so hard?

And don’t even get me started on home life. You care for your people, your mom, your daughter, your father and all you ask for in return is a little respect, maybe some love. Instead, they test your patience to the point where you feel like an animal in a cage, longing for escape.. And if you happen to be the sole breadwinner, congrats, you’re basically an ATM. You make sure everyone’s needs are met, that they’re comfortable, that they’re happy... What if we turned the tables? How do you feel when your head hits the pillow at night? Imagine if you dared to be as selfish as they are. Would the backlash be unbearable?

We all have phones, we all have Instagram, we all have the option to live selfishly. But no, we don’t. We keep smiling, keep working, keep handling our boss, team, finances, health...while being “THERE” for everyone else. They may question us back, "Who asked you not to be selfish?" The answer is ''No one did, it’s just a part of the unwritten rules we seem to live by''.

When I was in college, I wasn’t given the luxury to study in peace. I had to work and study at the same time, no other option. Higher studies? Forget it. I had to prioritize the family’s financial situation. Now, I make sure my daughter has every opportunity I didn’t have. She can pursue whatever she wants, and I’ll support her. But sometimes I wonder, what if I told her to work instead because of our current financial strain? Suddenly, I’d be labeled “selfish,” right? But when it’s about her pursuing her dreams without considering the family’s situation, what do we call that?

And you know what’s really frustrating? How often people put money above everything? I get it, money can bring security and comfort. But what about valuing a person for their kindness? Their support? Their soul? Why can’t we value connections and relationships over everything else?

Sometimes I find myself fantasizing about aliens swooping in, replacing humanity altogether, wiping out this hollow excuse of an existence we call “humanity.” Maybe they’d do a better job.

I really wish we’d all stop for a second to think about what it actually means to be human. Not that I’m holding my breath or I’m here to preach because I’ve had my selfish moments too. But at least I try to learn from them. What’s everyone else’s excuse?

But no, who needs compassion when we can just keep mindlessly scrolling through our feeds...Why bother investing time in meaningful conversations or actually supporting one another when we can lazily watch the highlight reels of everyone else’s seemingly perfect lives? It’s so much easier to sit back, thumbs flicking away, while the world around us screams for genuine connection. You don’t want to eat, you don’t want to sleep, you don’t want to clean your room, hell, you don’t even want to clean yourself, just SCROLL!

So yeah, here we are. Humanity at a loss. But, as long as we can keep pretending everything’s perfect on social media, who cares!!! Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out if this post is a rant about the selfishness I see around me, a complaint about our obsession with status, money, and sex, or just a desperate plea for someone to stop the endless scrolling. Maybe it’s all of the above? At this rate, I should probably just kick off my next post, “Lost in the Chaos.”

Cheers!!