The Consequences of Setting Someone Up

Have you ever had the experience of setting someone up? Whether it’s intentional or not, this action can often lead to devastating results. No one ever plans on the consequences that can occur when they make a choice to set someone else up.

Maybe you are an adolescent in school who believes someone you know has stolen a prized possession from a classmate. You tell a teacher or principal of your suspicions, in order to “set them up” so to speak, and before you know it, the whole situation has spun out of control and become a huge scandal in your school.

Maybe you’re a little bit older, and you’re a friend to two other people who are fighting over a shared romantic partner. In your own fit of anger or envy, you do something to stir the pot, such as revealing personal information or details about the partner that one of them doesn’t know. It’s only after the smoke has cleared that you realize that all of your intentions were misdirected.

Regardless of the reason why, when we set someone up, there can be immense consequences. From huge consequences such as leading someone to make life-changing decisions, to small consequences like starting an embarrassing rumor that follows someone for a lifetime, there are lessons to be learned about not setting someone up, no matter how difficult a situation may be.

We must remember to think before we act, and always remember that someone else’s life could be completely changed from a single decision that we make. Every choice carries with it its own set of risks, and sometimes it’s better to take no action at all rather than making a bad one. No one ever wants to set someone else up, so let’s all work together to keep each other safe, even in the midst of chaos.