Longing for a Generous World
We were not built to have access to constant breaking news, with horrible atrocities being committed across the entire world. Every time our phones buzz, we aren’t supposed to have a deep pit forming in our stomachs. With the number of saddening and graphic newsworthy events, you would think that it would be a larger topic of conversation. Yet, many people ignore the state of the world to hold onto any semblance of joy they can get. I can’t blame them; however, sometimes it is so shocking to me that there are people out there who can see something like that online and go on with their lives pretending that what they saw was nothing. If it doesn’t impact them, it isn’t important. However, every sad video, every breaking news alert, every “Did you hear about this?” hits me so hard, and I feel alone as those around me change the topic, pretending not to hear.
While having an inherently large emotional capacity is something I wouldn’t change for the world, it can be a burden. I am constantly wondering what I can do to help others, but with so much going on, I’m working with a one-person capacity on a million different tragedies. It doesn’t help that many people are functioning with an “everybody for themselves” mindset. Many individuals will only recognize a problem once it becomes significant enough to affect them. Still, if we could get people invested in solving problems at earlier stages, we could prevent the negative impacts on those often hit extra hard by policy change, like those living in poverty and those facing systemic marginalization.
It has also become increasingly common to cultivate a society that is insensitive, not only on a larger social justice scale, but interpersonally as well. Many make quick snap judgments on people when not knowing anything about their lives. Opening up comments on a social media post is like entering a battlefield. Behind anonymity, people have become so comfortable tearing others down. It is something that has become so normalized that you just know, no matter what is posted, you can guarantee there will be negativity present. Seeing this behavior constantly is so disheartening, especially as someone who tries to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. It also doesn’t help that social media is overrun with the bandwagon effect. Once one person makes a negative comment or assumption, everyone piles on, rather than thinking critically for themselves.
I must admit, I also struggle with this behavior. Striving to be as empathetic as I can towards others makes it really hard for me to understand the feelings of individuals with more self-focused viewpoints. Some people are just easier to give the benefit of the doubt and not jump on the bandwagon. I am flawed, and I constantly have to work to align myself with my values, ensuring that I think critically rather than taking shortcuts. I don’t write this expecting people to be inspired towards empathetic perfection, but I believe if everyone tried to exercise this skill just a little more, the progress we would see would be monumental.
Sometimes I feel so alone. No matter where I turn, the world is full of hate. But if you feel this way, you’re not alone. Our brains are wired to remember the negative more than the positive, so sometimes the negativity present in the world seems suffocating. But the good coexists with the bad, and now more than ever, we need people to recognize and uplift all the positive progress that is happening. This happens by supporting one another, not tearing each other down, making mistakes, learning from them, and working towards an altruistic society, not an egoistic one.