Coffee and Conversations: Brewing Life Stories, One Post at a Time
I never thought that “13 Reasons Why” would have an impact on me. I feel for all the characters in this intriguing TV series from Netflix. When I started watching Season 1, I got attached to Hannah Baker who is the protagonist of the show. The first season revolved around the 13 tapes she made before killing herself. All these tapes contained her secrets and confessions, basically her side of the story. She narrated how difficult her life was and revealed the persons who made her decided to commit suicide.
In the second season, things remained the same because obviously Hannah Baker is still dead. However, this time, the plot revolved around the individual stories of the people mentioned on the tapes. These students from Liberty High (well, most of them) shared their own stories in relation to Hannah Baker’s tapes.
Well, we all know that 13 Reasons Why is a product of an imaginative mind. Everything is pure fiction. But we also know that every episode contains several lessons that we need to remind ourselves on a regular basis. In my case, allow me to share what I learned from the first two seasons of “13 Reasons Why”.
It is time to start talking about mental health concerns. The sad reality in the modern world is that we still consider suicide as a taboo. Whenever someone opens up about killing himself, the natural reaction of many people is to criticise that person, to laugh at him or to shrug it away. This is why I’m glad that “13 Reasons Why” made suicide as a significant part of the show’s plot. The TV series is a great reminder that we must learn how to discuss suicide as well as the ways on how to prevent them. We have to remember that some people has tendencies to end their lives, especially when they are hurting too much.
The first season of the show highlighted how Hannah Baker’s life fell apart and how she kept everything to herself. She may have expressed her emotions through poetry, but her friends, classmates, and even parents, failed to take the hint. No one knew that she wanted everything to stop by killing herself. After watching the two seasons, it made me realize that engaging in effective communication with others is important. We must learn not only how to express our feelings but also how to listen to others, most especially when they need it the most. Come to think of this: If only Hannah Baker had open up to Clay Jensen or her parents, things would have been different.
Another significant part of the show is the issue on bullying. “13 Reasons Why” showed the viewers that there are many kinds of bullying and these hurtful acts can take place anywhere. The TV series also presented how bullying can affect the victim. It made me wonder what a bully can get from making another person’s life miserable. Does it make him happy? Is it what he needs to feel satisfaction and contentment? Is he doing it to cover up a hurtful past or traumatic experience? I wish that bullies would stop antagonizing their victims. On the other hand, I wish that the bullied persons could get the help they need as soon as possible.
At this point, it is essential to emphasize that adolescent age is the time when teenagers discover who they are and who they want to become. High school is where their dreams are made and where their aspirations are also lost. Anything can happen in high school and each one has certain consequences. Some of these can affect the future of the students. For this reason, the teachers and school administrators are expected to look out for the teens. They have to offer help, guidance and support to help the teenage students stay at the right path.
Unfortunately, there are still people who blame the girl victims whenever they are raped or assaulted sexually. Many of them would say that it was the victims’ fault for wearing skimpy clothes, for getting drunk with the boys or for acting flirty in social encounters. These are the types of individuals who would say “She was asking for it.” Well, here’s the important thing to learn: NO, SHE DID NOT ASK FOR IT. No one wants to have sex without her consent. No one wants to be molested because she likes the other person. No one wants to be raped just because she has a reputation for being a slut. No one.
There are still a lot of things to pick up from 13 Reasons Why. But for now, let me leave you with these five thought-provoking lessons that I learned after completing the two seasons. I hope that the other viewers also enjoyed the TV show. For me, it changed the way I look at things. And now, I’m excited for Season 3. How about you?