Take notice of the world around you and be interested in others, says writer Lisa Fouweather

I want you to think, properly think, about how literally every person on earth, all eight billion + of us, has their own 'thing' going on.

The random person that you passed on the street this morning could've just lost someone, or have fallen in love for the first time, or be going through something incomprehensible, and that's literally every single person on this planet.

From the man who you were sat opposite on the train yesterday, to the woman who served you in Pret, every single person you have met and will ever meet in this lifetime has a head full of love and loss and dreams that we know nothing about.

We know nothing about it because we don't care enough to want to know about it.

As in one of my favourite Sylvia Plath quotes:

'So many people are shut up tight inside themselves like boxes, yet they would open up, unfolding quite wonderfully, if only you were interested in them.'

Be interested in them.

I want you to take notice of the world around you.

Away from the promise of 'likes' on social media, I want you to do it because you want to do it. Because you believe in a society that is better than this.

Better than endless reposts on Instagram, 'homelessness is not a lifestyle choice' , to a photo of an actor in a tent, when you can't help the homeless in your own town.

We need to do better.

Better than people who are quick to say they 'like people-watching', but even quicker to walk past people in need. A man slumped over on the street, 'he's probably just a crackhead who's fallen asleep.'

Has humanity fallen asleep?

We should care about each other in more than just theory.

Posting AI-generated photos to highlight the genocide that's taking place in Palestine, when REAL journalists have been putting themselves on the front line to provide us with an insight into their lives, yet we jump on sharing images like it's a trend.

'Add yours to ease your conscience.'

While it's better than posting nothing, when we have a voice, we should be using it to shout for those with nothing. To join in with protests, to march for the greater good, to be a part of a genuine need to save humanity, not a superficial want to get more praise on social media.

'You're such a philanthropist.'

I want you to take two minutes out of your day to sit with me here, to read these words, and to reflect.

If no one was watching, would you still be talking about it?

Would you still care if there was no one there?

We need to do better.

WAKE UP.