I can't take it anymore. Call it a desire to remain informed. Call it a need to empathize with my fellow human beings. Call it morbid curiosity. When a headline grabs my attention on the Internet , in the newspaper, or on the nightly news, more often than not it is a depressing story that does nothing but worsen my opinion of humanity. Well, I've had it.
We all do it. When a headline describes an outrageous act of horror or violence we are compelled to learn about the sordid details. I don't know if it is because we feel guilty for having a relatively comfortable life while others in the world suffer immeasurably or maybe some of us "get off" on the lurid and horrific accounts of violence reported in the media. All I know is that the majority of the headlines I have noticed lately have made me feel absolutely miserable. I want to cry almost every day. I ask myself, "What good comes from reading about these horrors occurring in the world over which I have no control ?"
Today, in addition to reading about the Virginia Tech Massacre, I read about Chinese companies intentionally adding lethal amounts of toxic melamine to pet food ingredients to artificially boost the protein content readings when samples are analyzed by the FDA. Thousands of pets have suffered painful illnesses and deaths as a result. I read about a babysitter in East St. Louis who killed a pregnant woman and drown her three young children after unsuccessfully trying to cut the victim's fetus from her womb. I read about a NASA engineer who killed a co-worker and himself. I read about someone setting off a bomb near Columbine High School on the 8th anniversary of the massacre that occured there. I read about car bombs killing over 130 innocent civilians in Baghdad. I read about the 200,000 civilians who have been murdered in Darfur. And then I read about the straw that broke the camel's back.
A Jihadist video posted on the internet today showed a 12 year old boy slicing the throat of a man who was accused by the Taliban of being a spy for America. The account described the child using a knife to spill the man's blood and then hack at his neck until his head was separated from his body. The boy then held the severed head in the air, proudly displaying it for the camera and all the world to see.
Enough. I can't take it anymore. I cannot prevent these tragic events from occurring. Oh, I suppose I could volunteer to fight in Afganistan or Iraq. I could be a security guard at NASA or Virginia Tech. I could be a cop in East St. Louis or a "peacekeeper" in Darfur. But I doubt my presence would have prevented these atrocities from occuring. Instead, I feel my greatest contribution to society will be in teaching my offspring to be altruistic, compassionate human beings. I will teach Alex and his future sister to care about their fellow man. I will teach them to love and to make the world a better place by creating positive change. I will teach them that laughter and generosity are more powerful than car-bombs and guns.
As of today, I am adding a supplemental resolution to my list of New Year's Resolutions. I resolve to avoid exposure to negative media. I will endeavor to avoid "The News." There is no doubt that I will learn about the things that are of vital importance in the world from friends and family. Therefore, I will avoid puposely seeking out the overwhelmingly negative stories reported by the media. Will I be burying my head in the sand? I don't think so. I can't continue to make myself sick over things I cannot control. If I continue to allow myself to become overwhelmed by tragedies occurring throughout the world, I will not be doing all I can to ensure that my family remains happy and healthy. I will continue to empathize for the victims of these injustices, but I will focus more of my energy on making those around me happy. I will teach my children to love. I will increase my charitible efforts. Buddhism calls for ending human suffering. Through teaching my children how to act morally, by giving to charity, by making people laugh, and by avoiding further exposure to the endless accounts of evil portrayed in the news I believe I can relieve the suffering of myself and everyone else whom I am able to influence with my positive attitude. Wish me luck.
Remember- No news is good news. Pass it on.
2 comments:
People have nervously scoffed at me for years when I state that I do not watch any news programs, and haven't since Walter Kronkite turned the reins over to Dan Rather. Not only did I not wish to subject myself to the atrocities of the nightly news, but I needed to screen the nastiness from my sons. I'd much rather watch a violent TV show and explain that it was make believe than try to explain mans inhumanity to man to my impressionable young sons. So, no news in our house, and there still isn't because of the very stuff Travis is talking about. The saddest part is that most of the people who find out about that horrid internet video of the young man will HAVE to go find it and watch it - as we are a sick, voyeuristic world, feeding off the misfortunes of others. Ever drive by a wreck and notice everyone slowing down just in case there is something awful to see so they can run home and tell all their friends what a horrible sight they saw. We have brought this on ourselves and it's only going to get more graphic as we continue to be aenesthisized to the horrors of the world brought into out homes on a daily basis. So, you may join Travis and I and not watch the nightly news, 'cause some other person will and gleefully share with you all the nastiness we are doing to each other every single, freaking day of our lives.
This has been a dilemma for me for years, especially after watching the infamous Dateline special about the skinning of cats and dogs in China. I thought I would lose my mind for several days. Decided that if I would do something, anything, to help, it would help me as well. Sent the HSUS a sizeable donation (They were doing the undercover investigating in China). They have since that time (many years now) worried the giblets out of me to give more, more, more. Probably spent my donation many times over asking me for more and sending unsolicited trinkets.
I don't watch as much news as I used to, but it is everywhere and impossible to avoid. I vascillate between trying to ignore it for my sanity and staying informed in order to hopefully effect a change. If I were one of those poor women in Darfur who had been gang raped and forced to watch my children thrown into a fire, I would surely hope that others were not turning away because it is too painful to watch.
As you can see, this subject has touched a nerve in me. It is tremendous overload. Perhaps you are right, and the best way to effect change is by starting in our own circle of family, friends, and community. In the meantime, we just keep on "waiting...waiting on the world to change..."
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