Not even the Neanderthal man

Two pieces of news recently came into my hands, the first being that of a well-known fitness influencer, who at the age of 23 underwent an operation to avoid having children declaring: «I don't want to be a mother, because my life is already very full of other things, it would not be correct to have children and not give them the time and love to which they are entitled. I have a maternal instinct, but I channel it elsewhere, in creativity. I am also my own mother, taking care of my physical and mental well-being». The second is that of a tattoo artist who refuses to draw a rose on the neck of a minor, despite the insistence of the eager mother to satisfy the irreversible desire of the young man.

Two pieces of news that seem to be painted on purpose to unleash all kinds of haters. In fact, many feel compelled to scold the young girl on the one hand and the incautious mother on the other. Reading some comments under the news (which should never be done!) I come across a certain "Trudi" who writes as follows: «Poor girl, I feel sorry for you and I wish you to fall in love with a man whose dream is to have quintuplets» . A certain "Zorro33" goes all out with: «Dear mother, I would pay to be able to tattoo a goose on your forehead!» We humans always like to ruthlessly comment on the choices of others, especially if we find ourselves comfortably barricaded behind a monitor and assume fictitious identities.

It has been like this since the beginning of time, with the difference that a nickname was not enough for Neanderthal man to get by; and even if he called himself "Bengal Monkey" or "Caveman84", to comment on something, he had to take out his club and maybe put a couple of teeth back in it. My grandfather always told me: "The choices we make can affect our whole life, but remember that the words we say remain for eternity".

Andrew Gothic
NP December 2022