Don't be an asshole

TL; DR. Simply don't.

Well, do you know the craving? Stealing a child's emblamatic lollipop because you're bigger, stronger and yet much more developed than this underdeveloped piece of child; Insulting the old lady at the checkout because she's already spent the last five minutes scraping together the last two euros of her €5.07 bill with one and two cent coins; Parking one's car in a handicapped parking spot, even though there are dozens of parking spots still available on foot; Canceling at the last minute, even though you've arranged to meet outside and it's pouring rain; Not canceling at all; Promising someone that you'll take care of their cat while they're on vacation and then just letting it starve; pushing someone in front of a car; knowingly getting your partner to go along with life-changing decisions only to suddenly leave her for your affaire; having planned all this ahead of time; cheating on your partner and denying yourself the blame; testing positive for corona, meeting with friends from the medical area and only briefly telling them afterwards by phone or text on their next shift; lying and deceiving everyone around you; getting a former alcoholic to drink alcohol; selling drugs to a former junkie; telling a rape victim that it was their own fault.

Do you know it? I don't. I hope you do not either.

Everyone makes mistakes, no one is perfect, and you can never assume that you or anyone you meet has the complete moral compass or has experienced most of the moral aspects of life in their childhood. This is something that can't be changed, but this does not mean that you have to let it rest. If someone behaves this way, keep your distance from that person or confront them. In some areas of life being an asshole is rewarded, you can unite against them and change the situation. Maybe not alone, but as long as there are a few people with common descency and a moral baseline, there will always be a way to fight against something that goes against your beliefs.

I am by no means impeccable and have certainly already behaved like an asshole, but I continue to develop and usually realize my mistake in the long run. Actually I wanted to give this text more time and leisure, but it was at the same time the post that needs the least time to be written.

Do you know people who are described here in the first paragraph as an active part and are you still in touch with them? How does that affect you? Feel free to let me know in the nice, friendly, infallible comments!