Don’t Despair: Most People are Decent

Church Choir

“There are only two races: The decent and the indecent.” ~Viktor Frankl (paraphrased)

When it seems like everyone is against you, stabbing you in the back, kicking you while you’re down, betraying your trust, sabotaging your efforts, undermining,  backbiting and poking you in the eye with a stick, don’t lose hope.

Remember, most people are decent human beings. Most people don’t steal you blind. Most don’t cheat. Most don’t back-stab. Most people don’t poke sticks in eyes. It may seem like it in the darkest hour of your pain or betrayal. But most people are kind and thoughtful and loving and good. Remember that.

Why does it seem like indecency and inhumanity has run so rampant? It’s due to what I call the Front Page Syndrome. When the news covers a riot, it looks like the city has gone mad.

But that’s only because most of the city is at home, taking care of babies, doing homework, watching TV, talking, dreaming, cleaning, working, fixing and playing together. They are paying for their groceries and singing in church choirs. They are far removed from the news cameras. The few may look like the many, but most are decent people, choosing not to riot, loot, destroy or hurt others.

So when it feels like the world has gone mad, that foxes are guarding life’s hen houses and wolves are hiding in sheep’s clothing everywhere, just remember that human decency, moral responsibility, honesty and good parenting rarely make the headlines. But such people are the rule, not the exception.

And that should be encouraging.

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