I’ve debated writing this one for some time, but after Sunday’s big game and the commercials that followed, I thought it was time.
One of our national broadcasters, who hosted the game in Canada, is also purportedly a “mental health” ally. They even make one day a year all about mental health with a hashtag and everything. We should all be proud and participate in their incentive, but we are not.
At least once during the Superbowl playoffs, the same commercial played, taunting “Eduardo’s dark period,” with horrible art.
I know many Canadians, like myself who have gone through a “dark period,” don’t find this funny or a good sales tactic.
A quick read through a subreddit dedicated to the organization has multiple examples of them not caring about employees’ mental health. So, hypocrisy reigns. Colour me surprised.
At home, bullying is often tied to various psychiatric disorders. According to the American Psychological Association, narcissism is tied to acts of aggression towards others.
We all see it daily with access to social media. Terms like “fake news” and “leftist” are meant to try and make us feel inferior. In our industry, we call them keyboard warriors. They’re harmless, cower when confronted, and add humour to a serious, mentally-taxing job.
Each journalist deals with online hatred and attacks differently. I’ve said this before: We’re tough, and generally, it doesn’t bother us. My chosen way is to call out those individuals for their actions.
What is the word we use for people who suffer from something, then try and drag other people down to suffer from it too … oh yes … hypocrisy.
Mental health in our community is a concern; addressing it would take way more than one column. So, instead of supporting companies that mock it and participating in actions to worsen others, do better.
It’s not much to ask.
