I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a while, but I kept putting it off because I couldn’t find the right words. Eventually, I realized it’s okay if it’s not perfect. It’s more important to get my thoughts out.
So, why am I writing this? The more I travel (and I know how pretentious that might sound), the more I’ve seen people quick to label things as “bad” or “weird” when they’re actually just different. These things aren’t positive or negative—just unusual compared to what people are used to.
Take food, for instance. Some people might say a dish like ‘Hákarl,’ which is fermented shark in Iceland, is terrible because of its strong smell. Yet, for Icelanders who grew up eating it, Hákarl is just another meal. It likely became a staple due to the need for a reliable food source in a place with tough weather conditions. To them, it’s just food, like steak or roast chicken might be to others.
Then there are different eating customs, like using hands instead of forks and knives. Some might ignorantly mock this practice, even though it’s simply how some cultures traditionally enjoy their meals. After all, some foods, like chicken wings, are just easier to eat with your fingers. It’s not about being right or wrong—just different.
I could go on with more examples, but we’d be here all day. It’s clear that some things are universally bad, like animal cruelty or stealing, and some things are universally good, like kindness and helping out. Often, the good and bad are evident, but there are plenty of things that don’t fit neatly into these categories.
We humans like to simplify things by categorizing them, avoiding the uncomfortable “grey areas.” Moral absolutism is easier to grasp than the idea that a good person might do something bad or vice versa.
I understand the appeal of labeling things as good or bad, but maybe, when we encounter circumstances we don’t fully understand, it’s worth taking a moment to consider if something is just different rather than rushing to judgment. How about we try that?
