In 2020, George Floyd’s murder caught the world’s attention. Captured on video and spread like wildfire across the internet, the story gripped the world’s attention, leading to nonstop coverage of the tragedy and any developments across all media platforms. Unlike many other instances of police brutality that fade quickly from public view, this moment sparked a global movement. The easily accessible and visual nature of this evidence forced many to confront the reality of police brutality in the U.S., specifically as it pertains to race. Motivation for widespread protests and calls for reform skyrocketed, and the news story became more than a passing post.
While this instance acts as somewhat of an exception to modern human relationships with tragic news, it’s incredibly common for stories as jarring as this one to fall victim to the news cycle. They pop up momentarily, grasp our attention through headlines or social media posts and then disappear. People may feel shock and even momentary sadness when they are briefly confronted with these stories, but deep empathy is largely absent. If we genuinely absorbed every single headline or news story we came across, we’d probably cry every time we turned on a screen or our heads would explode.
But we typically don’t cry, nor do our heads typically explode.
There’s a metaphorical wall between us and what we see online— a wall built out of constant exposure, emotional overload and dopamine addiction.
Every day, social media and news outlets flood us with stories of tragedy— from natural disasters to murder investigations. The frequency of these stories is so overwhelming that it’s hard to fully grasp the weight of any individual one. Before we find the space and emotional energy to absorb one story, we’re hit with dozens more, each one equally as heartbreaking. As a result, we’ve become increasingly unfazed by most instances of tragedy unless the media keeps reminding us of them again and again.
The increasing lack of emotion we tend to attach to instances of tragedy with the rise of the media feels scary, and I am guilty of it as well. I believe all instances of tragedy would be treated like George Floyd’s murder if humans had the capability and energy to absorb every tragedy with the utmost attention. Not only do we now lack control of the things we see, but we also lack control of the things we feel.
However, I am convinced we can regain control of that— how we feel. Holding ourselves accountable is the most important thing we can do for ourselves. If we find ourselves detached from the things we hear and see, we must take note of that. Then, we must acknowledge our emotions, or lack thereof, when witnessing a disturbing media piece. Providing space for ourselves by stepping away from our screens is the only way that this can be successfully achieved.
Controlling the things we can control is the only way to sensitize ourselves. And when we do that, we can find ourselves again in touch with ourselves, able to digest even the most horrific news and media in a healthy and sentient way.