Op/Ed: Is It Really Toxic or Are You Just a Baby?
By ShayLa Blake
It seems that in today’s society, we’ve adopted the notion that everything “toxic” should be given the old boot out of our lives. Although this is an optimistic thought and could lead to future prosperity, it only works if people actually realize the definition of toxic before taking a hatchet to their lifestyle. Something can be labeled as “toxic” when it is harmful to you in a way that inhibits you from functioning in everyday life. This seems like a simple concept, but people often deem the small inconveniences of life as toxic, enabling themselves from dealing with things like a big kid. Your mom tells you to get your grades up, clearly, she’s only pointing out your flaws which automatically means she’s toxic. No, delinquent teenager, she’s not toxic— demanding maybe, but definitely not toxic.
You could simply chalk this all up to teenagers being angsty like they’ve always been, and we could all move on with our day. However, because of social media, I now am subject to hearing about all the “toxicity” that goes on in Chad, Brad and Thad’s love life. I’m the first one to point out that you should never invalidate someone’s feelings, but just because it makes you sad at the moment doesn’t mean you can shove the entire experience into the toxic category. In middle school, “The Fault in Our Stars” made me sad, but you don’t see me blocking John Green on Twitter for being a toxic influence on young minds.
The problem with labeling everything as “toxic” is that it ruins the intensity of the word and invalidates those who are actually stuck in toxic situations. If you want to cry into your pillow at night about “all girls being the same,” by all means, you should embrace your temporary sadness. What you should not do is inadvertently give yourself a god complex by making everyone around you into the antichrist walking. It is essential to balance your emotions and interactions with others so that you’ll know when it's actually time to cut things out of your life. It is essential because, like it or not, we all must grow up and become mature, functioning humans. If you put every bad thing in the “toxic” box, you’re leaving behind any room for growth. One must eventually recognize that they’re not the bright, shining star mommy and daddy said they were. You can’t acknowledge your own faults if you stand atop a pedestal on which you don’t belong. Check your ego every once in a while; it's healthy, I promise. Think of all the times these bright, shining stars could save if they invested their time in solving their “toxic” problems, rather than sub-posting about someone on Snapchat.