After reading my intro to the 13 hidden messages found within the Netflix series’, 13 Reasons Why message, you’ll know why I’m here writing these tapes blogs.
Previous tape: TAPE 2: THE 13 REASONS WHY MESSAGE HAS A TERRIBLE SECRET
**SPOILER ALERT**
Here is the third message hidden within the 13 Reasons Why message.
Tape 3: What Goes Around Comes Around
It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that all of the characters in Thirteen Reasons Why did awful things; that the show is about bullies bullying Hannah. However, there’s a bigger lesson to be learned.
The 13 Reasons Why message today is that your actions have consequences. What you do comes back around. Throughout the episodes, the bullies are forced to deal with the repercussions, judgement, and guilt associated with their actions. People don’t usually realize this until it’s too late. In fact, they only realize that their actions have consequences once it’s too late to take back the things they said and/or did.
As such, this is one of the most important things to take away from the 13 Reasons Why main message. The way you treat others and the things you do to your peers will have repercussions. One day, you will have to face them and the only way to avoid this situation is to never be evil and unkind in the first place.
What happens in high school doesn’t always stay in high school. The mean things you do to others and the poor decisions you make today can will come back around.
The Post-Graduation 360
After high school, it’s a full 360. The desirable qualities that make someone “cool” in high school are the same qualities that make someone a loser after high school.
I often say to kids, “Be nice to the nerds because they’re the people who will be hiring you for your dream job in the future.” People are considered “losers” in school when they’re intelligent, introverts, eccentric or pretty much anyone who doesn’t conform to the jock or mean girl image. But what people don’t realize in high school is that these are the things that make someone cool and desirable post-graduation.
Being a “cool” bully in school instantly categorizes you as a loser post-graduation. The bullied become the popular people who mingle with the successful business owners, whereas the bullies become the underdogs who regret the actions they made back in the day, when it’s all too late.
What’s the moral of the story? What goes around comes around.
More importantly, if you are being bullied or aren’t considered “cool” right now – just wait. It all changes after high school and you will thrive!
The People you Make Fun of Today Determine your Future Later
When you finally land that interview for your dream job, you may very well find the person sitting at the head honcho table to be someone you bullied. If it isn’t someone you know, guarantee they know someone whose life you made a living hell during high school.
Here are some circumstances on how bullying people today could impact your life later:
- You meet a guy/girl at college from out of town and you really like him. When you meet their friends, you find out you bullied one of them. Instantly, your relationship is set up for failure.
- You want a new job and get the interview. As you’re walking through the office, you see someone you used to bully. You nail the interview and they want to hire you but then that person tells them about your past. As a result, you don’t get the job.
- You need to rent a home or apartment but you used to bully the landlord, you don’t get the home.
- One day, you find yourself in a court case. You have everything in your favour but when they look at your past, they question your integrity. The case rules out of your favour because of your history.
- You fall in love but when you meet your partner’s family, you find out that their cousin is someone you bullied. The family dislikes you and the relationship is damaged.
Bullying might be cool right now but it never is later on. The bully always ends up on the receiving end.
If you bully people today, you’re only creating a plethora of hurdles to climb over in the future. So, be nice to people today. Your actions will come back around to bite you in the booty and the only way to prevent that is to be kind to everyone.
The Skeletons in your Closet Aren’t Always Kept a Secret
Let’s get back into the 13 Reasons Why message. As you go through the episodes, you see an abundance of skeletons being dragged out of closets, just with one person coming forward.
You may think that bullying someone when no one is around won’t do you any harm but all it takes is for that one person to talk about it. The bad things you do to others in secret don’t always get kept a secret. And no matter how big or small the action is, you will, one day, be on the receiving end.
It’s called consequences and your actions have consequences.
Your Actions have a Trickling Effect
Here is another key thing to take away from the 13 Reasons Why message. Your actions have a huge impact on others. Even if you do something bad once to one person, it can cause serious harm to others. Here’s an example.
**SPOILER ALERT**
- Sheri hits a stop sign and leaves the scene of the accident – someone hits the stop sign and dies – the parents now think they’re son was a drunk driver and has to deal with that backlash – Sheri continues to suffer as a result of one poor decision
- Tyler takes pictures of Hannah secretly – people find out and trash his house – his family now has to pay to fix the house – Tyler seeks revenge, but leaves out the people who were kind to him
- Bryce rapes Hannah – Hannah commits suicide – Bryce loses his best friend and as it looks coming to the end of the season, might lose his life in jail as well.
- Alex makes a stupid list mentioning Hannah’s booty – Hannah loses her best friend, Alex loses his girlfriend, Jessica – Jessica starts dating Justin – Jessica gets raped by Justin’s best friend, Bryce
…And it goes on and on. The way you treat people, even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal, has a trickling effect. You think you’re only hurting or affecting one person, but you’re doing more damage than you think.
Avoid the Backlash Altogether by Being Nice
In no way am I condoning revenge. However, I do want to place emphasis on the fact that you can avoid the risk altogether. You just have to be nice to people. You might think you can be awful to someone because they’re a loser and don’t know anyone. But what goes around always comes back around. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, or even next week. But it will, and you will be judged for your actions.
This is something I feel the 13 Reasons Why message got bang on. The way the episodes portrayed it was done poorly but the message is there nonetheless. If you’re bad to people, it will get revealed and you will have to face the consequences.
Treat others how you wish to be treated, my friends.
If you or someone you know is suffering, please contact the Canadian National Suicide Helpline.
Previous tape: TAPE 2: THE 13 REASONS WHY MESSAGE HAS A TERRIBLE SECRET
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