“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
For some people, just reading that brings on painful memories.

On April 22, Australian actor and comedian Barry Humphries passed away at the age of 89. Few Canadians would recognize this prolific actor, but perhaps a few more of them would recognize his most famous character, Dame Edna Everage. From 1956 until 2019, Humphries performed this character on stage and on the small screen to critical and fan acclaim, appearing alongside Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson, and many other celebrities.

Recently I had the opportunity to watch Women Talking, a film that was recently nominated for two Academy Awards and took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film’s title is especially poignant considering it tells the story of women who lack a voice in their world.

If you’ve spent any significant length of time on Planet Earth, you know that human beings have a strong survival instinct. It has kept the modern human race safe for hundreds of thousands of years, warning us of danger and preventing us from falling from high places, drowning in deep waters, and getting eaten by creatures who perceived us to be a slow, tasty source of nutrients.

It may be an article shared on Facebook, a meme you see on Twitter, or the comment section under a news story. Somewhere, at some point in time, all of us who spend time online have seen something that filled us with shock, disgust, and anger.

No one likes to be sick. Colds, flus, injuries, and other seasonal illnesses are a physical and mental drag. When we’re under the weather, getting through the day is a psychological challenge. All we want to do is rest and recover. We eat chicken soup, watch The Price Is Right, and go to sleep hoping we’ll feel better in the morning.