Did you know that meanness is contagious? I just read an article with that title by Kathleen Kelley Reardon, Professor Emerita at the USC Marshall School of Business. 

It really struck me, because there’s plenty of it to go around these days. Why do people bond over meanness? Does it serve any useful purpose…or does it just make the world a worse place? 

Anyway, because meanness is contagious, we all get sucked in sometimes. But we can counter it. I’m not preaching here. I’m sharing what I’ve dug up out of sheer necessity. 

When we encounter it, we can say something nice. “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing…” 1 Peter 3:9a (SO HARD TO DO, but there you have it anyway.)

When we address mockery, we can say something like, “I’m glad you haven’t had to experience that.” (Ex., a disability.)

When someone is rude, we can walk away and say, “I’ll just leave that with you.” 

When someone is uncharacteristically outrageous, we can ask, “Are you okay?”

When propaganda is duping people, we can name the technique being used. (For a handy guide, google “propaganda techniques.”)

I think Confucius was onto something when he said, “There has never been a man mean and at the same time virtuous.” Hey, I’ve been mean. Maybe you have too. Maybe all of us have, but that’s what forgiveness is for. I’m talking about going forward. I don’t venture on to social media as much as I used to, but when I do, there’s meanness. Every time. Of all times to curb meanness, this is it.  We can make our points without it. We can’t let it win.