#WillThinkThrice --Another set of thoughts about Will Smith's Willingness to Go Way Out of Bounds at The Oscars!
Added Note April 2, 2022--
I hope everyone's figuring out ways to 'stay in one's bubble to stay out of trouble' or to create safe boundaries for many kinds of issues. I think a lot of such situations through from having taken childhood development and education in college and caring for many people of all ages over many decades.
The society has to clarify for everyone what is expected and of concern (whether out in public or just having fun but needing to set guidance for safety and again rules for supervising minors and others with accountability.)
The overall idea is people out in public are going to behave without 'disturbing the peace' (even with loud music or voices usually, and not putting others in danger (intentionally or due to reckless actions and good times.)
Whether driving a car or living in dangerous ways (and that can be linked to mental illness symptoms, stress, lack of sleep and overworking, antisocial behaviors such as narcissism, depression, anger and relationship, family, work or school stress, etc.)
Beginning to map things out can be like letting off steam safely (as can taking a deep breath into the belly and a bit more into the upper lungs and exhaling and counting to ten or saying 'Ssss' slowly for a count of 20.)
Doing that about five times can help one feel more alert and centered and warm up one's voice as well if speaking (to calm nerves and relax muscles to say what you need to say...with calm and clarity.)
Those tips and more may seem more than most need but again can help one realize one's power and ways to express oneself in writing, free art (coloring with crayons or paints to let one's feelings or mind flow and allow something to emerge rather than be set on a certain outcome.)
Art, music, singing, creating, acting with an eye toward therapy can help one develop many aspects of a person and group.
The shock of what happened at the Oscars was profound in that it was sudden and in a very public place, took place center stage and broke many of the agreed upon rules of behavior and the law.
It's a teachable moment and reminder that anyone may have a medical or mental health emergency without warning in any location. When everyone feels more clear about how to handle such a situation people can work together to address the needs of the victim as well as safely intervene with the aggressor or person showing signs of instability.
Special training from NAMI and with mental health first aid programs (among others) would be helpful to share in every state, town, school, faith and non-profit or business group and along life's highways. Even among the real highways too for helping report unsafe drivers, particularly after the national news of Gabby Petito suffering abuse that was on TV and should have been addressed more thoroughly by police than it was.
Ideally everyone would have two people who can be contacted for support readily listed with one's local or state town hall or division to assist people in ways that can provide support and help de-escalate matters.
For practical concerns like financial billing and knowing where a person is, that would be another reason to have contact people listed for everyone in a community.
Perhaps main numbers to call with voluntary check-ins would make sense (again in each family, area or based through a library or faith group etc) or on a FB private page or email etc to let people know one is safe and how one is doing if there are climate or other life stresses or needs to travel or relocate etc.
Hopefully a lot of good will come from this difficult turn of events, including more 'self defense' strategies such as not being isolated with someone (even on a stage or in a crowd.)
Find ways to keep a safe distance, put one's arms up and say, "Stop" or "Stay Back" or better yet, "Run" like one would from a fire (or stop drop and roll if on fire or crawl out of a smoky room etc.)
Basic moves can be practiced to learn to 'fall safely' and protect one's head for instance by tucking one's chin in if one can roll back when landing rather than trying to 'just let oneself hit the ground or break one's fall with one's arm...
From now on most events should have security people mixed into a crowd and some that are identified as such since that can usually help people remember to behave.
Thanks for considering how to practice some of these strategies and work toward a wiser, safer way of living whether by oneself or with others and of course when going out and about one's day when feeling ready to be a team player and be open to sharing the road and load of getting through the day with an overall 'easy does it' attitude and response to conflicts and challenges.
Original Post The Day After the Oscars 2022--I didn't hear that Will laughed for a few seconds before launching into 'attack mode' after Chris Rock said his wife Jada's name and alluded to "GI Jane" look since she has a shaved head (due to a condition she has shared and said is difficult for her....) The night of the show, I only tuned in just before he got his award and learned what the issue was the next day from many news accounts. They did show his wife's eye-rolling so he must have taken his cue from that or thought twice.
If only he thought Thrice and had a leash on that Jada could have zapped gently to remind him of boundaries, his maleness, his larger stature, and basic kindergarten rules to stay in his bubble to stay out of trouble, to use his words to put down swords of anger, confusion and difficulty... I explore more on my blog and overall think the world needed to hear this message, even see it (and that would have been best played out as actors so Chris Rock could have turned his face and made it look real without it being real.)
I shared the following on FB and feel free to amend for your own friends if you want to start talking more about ways to address such situations in your own circles and community...
So let's remember to play nicely with others and take it easy when things flare up unexpectedly and walk or run away from someone whose unstable coming up to you or your table! See more on a few posts on my blog Livfully.org
The roaring lions of March should be turning into lambs anytime now, maybe it's part of a collective search for how to handle a variety of situations and feelings...the Variety Show of Life and thankfully with more days to 'do a little better' on many fronts, the one and the many and each and every, from here to Russia and around the world again...
PM me as follows (you can use my Public FB page, Catherine Palmer Paton or Livfully) or use your own to start your own conversations...... 1 if you've seen some of this in your own life, 2 if you'd like to talk more 'just in case' and 3 if you're wanting to help create ways to have support for those going through Chris Rock type issues (with or without provocation) or Will Smith type responses. If we do more earlier on to prevent and intervene with ongoing outreach and support hopefully more people and witnesses would know how to respond with a sense of team and common sense...
Very nice things did not escalate there but a teachable moment for anyone to consider what they would have done as any of the people involved or near the scene, the management and security and even the police or other groups in the community seeking to be more on the ball with education and help for people to respond safely (clear an area or possibly intervene with some distraction like oil on the steps or baby powder to toss in someone's face...not that that's easy to think of but maybe time to get the ball or marbles rolling...)
Many people #WillThinkThrice about Things Now, and the Oscars are reviewing it as should the LAPD and simply arrest him for disorderly conduct and assault charges like anyone else, plenty of witnesses and on video after all, even if Chris didn't want to press charges.
