Why Our Society Needs Stories Like 'Thirteen Reasons Why' | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Why Our Society Needs Stories Like 'Thirteen Reasons Why'

Life is precious, and no one should be forced into taking their own.

94
Why Our Society Needs Stories Like 'Thirteen Reasons Why'

Thirteen Reasons Why isn't the first book, show, or movie about bullying and suicide to reach an audience. In 2011, the movie Cyberbully came out on ABC Family. It starred Emily Osment, also known as the actress who played Lily on Hannah Montana, and it details her character, Taylor, getting cyberbullied by other kids at her school. Taylor chooses to post a video suicide note when she can no longer handle the pain, and she attempts suicide through swallowing a large amount of pills. Because Taylor posted the video online, her friends were able to stop her, but just because Taylor did not commit suicide doesn't mean her story isn't important.

It has been commented on social media that "people shouldn't need shows like Thirteen Reasons Why to point out that they should be nice to people." It is true that it shouldn't take a show to make people realize that being nice is necessary and that bullying is a real issue in our society, but shows and movies like Thirteen Reasons Why and Cyberbully publicize and shine light on the issues of our society.

Our society stereotypes, bullies, racially profiles, kills, and everything in between. It shouldn't have to take a show for some people to realize that their words have meaning, but if that is what it takes for those ignorant individuals to turn over a new leaf, then so be it.

I am sick of living in a cruel, hateful society where children, teens, and adults are pushed to the point where they can no longer live on this Earth anymore. Everyone deserves to live out the amazing life they have built for themselves or the future that lies ahead. There are young children taking their own lives because they cannot stand to bear the hate, bullying, or rumors that surround them every day. No one should have to give up their life because they feel so buried under grief.

Social media is flooded with meme like "Oh you did this, welcome to your tape" and such things anger me because Hannah's reasons for taking her own life were dreadful and could have been avoided. Hannah Baker was not a drama queen who took her own life for attention. She was hurting, and she made these tapes so the people that caused her suicide knew what impact their words and actions had.

Suicide is not a joke. Rape is not a joke. Peer pressure and getting drunk are not jokes. What happened to Hannah Baker and Taylor Hillridge is not a joke. Suicide is a serious subject, and it should be handled as so. These shows and movies do not glamorize suicide as some people on social media may claim. The reality of the death and near-death of these girls shows how deep pain and regret can run through those around them.

Life is such an important object. Lives are created and destroyed every couple seconds. We are only granted one life. None of us will ever know what happens after we die, so to take away the one life we are born into is detrimental. Life is precious, and no one should ever be pushed to the point where they take their own away.

The choices we make, the words we speak, and the actions we preform contribute to the lives of those around us. We can never truly know the impact we make in someone else's life, even if they voice it to us, there will always be a small part we'll never know.

It only takes one act of kindness to make someone's day. Just think, if one less rumor had been spread about Hannah Baker or one person hadn't commented something rude about Taylor Hillridge, their lives could have been saved.

Be the person that saves someone from ending their life, and advocate for those who were forced to take away their own pain.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

179354
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

6504
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451989
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23001
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments