As our modern society grows and prospers through the world of technology and social media, a sense of disconnection and unwillingness to truly help others slowly creeps into our lives. We keep our social media pages in tact with the newest trends, most recent viral entertainment video and every once and awhile the latest breaking news story.

As we see violence and heartbreak happen around the world through our black screens, we type things such as #BlackLivesMatter or add a rainbow to our profile picture to show our support. The problem with these kind internet gestures is that once we close our laptop, put our phone down or shut off the television, we are left to neglect these problems in reality and leave them in the ether. We feel a sense of satisfaction when we comment, share or like a post online and that can sometimes trick us into thinking we have fulfilled our duty of being informed and taking initiative.

The value of compassion seems to be depleting in a society filled with preoccupied presence. I challenge you to show your support in your local community; reach out to someone at the coffee shop. It is amazing what something as simple as a smile can do to someone who is having a bad day. Open up outside of your iPhone and help bring compassion back into our broken down, screen-obsessed society.

We are not all that different, after all. On the surface we customize ourselves but deep down we are all humans who need to love one another. It is not a ’60s mentality to show compassion to the human race; we are in charge of making a difference and the world needs it now more than ever.

So as you read this from your device, look up, realize the power you have to help inspire compassion back into our lives. We need to ask ourselves what the Black Eyed Peas asked us in the ’90s, “Where is the Love?”

Bryce Hoyt

Albert Lea