Reel-ality?

“You really don’t know what’s going on in someone else’s life,” Hannah Baker said.

In the new Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, the ideas of bullying, suicide, and rape are prominent themes throughout the show. Some say the series was not a good interpretation of the book and the concepts involved. But some may say the series opened their eyes.

People argue the show is important because it discusses suicide in a straightforward way that other shows have not. For most viewers of 13 Reasons Why, the message is clear: be kind; it could save a life.

Being kind is not a bad message, but in the context of the show, it becomes complicated. By using suicide, rape and bullying, people believe this show has started a movement of being kind and caring to others. But we should not have to watch a TV show to know what is right and what is wrong. We should already be kind and caring to everyone around us. As high school students, we should not rely on a Netflix show open our eyes. They should already be open.

“It shouldn’t take a Netflix series to make you want to be a good person,” Kellie Little, sophomore, said.

You should put forth effort and understand the facts. People get bullied, sexually assaulted, and attempt suicide every day. Although it may not affect you, it may affect those around you.  Every day students face personal struggles, stress, bullying and other things we may not know about.  This is happening every day around us, and students do not even realize it. Yes, this Netflix series opened your eyes to the many things that happen in high school, but before this book or the show came out, rape, bullying and mental illnesses were already happening. Understand the facts: a Netflix series cannot just change the world’s perspective. If it takes the teenagers in this generation to realize rape, suicide, and bullying are topics that should be talked about, that is a problem. These are things that affect everyone around us daily, and this is not a new series.  This is real life.