MOST OF us can agree that the year 2020 has been one of mayhem so far. In three months, numerous issues have come up—the devastating Australian wildfires, the Iran-US conflict, and the COVID-19 outbreak, just to name a few. We are bombarded with these issues in our day-to-day lives, more so with the presence of social media. And because of this, a pressure to keep up with the news, especially regarding these relevant issues, arises.
The news has been an important avenue for updates on events (be it local or international), stories, trends, and much more. Aside from this, the news also has the ability to shape perceptions when it comes to economic, social, and political matters; it is essential in forming the nation, since individual knowledge and perception have the power to affect a group as a whole.
New media has made it easier to access and share information online. As someone who has the privilege to be part of an institution such as Ateneo, my social circle consists of people who regularly keep themselves up to date with economic, political, and social issues. I often try to keep up with relevant issues through the news that my friends share or through my own research. I have personally found that this experience can be an overwhelming one, not just in terms of the amount of information you stumble upon, but also the pressure that comes with keeping updated on everything that is happening around the world.
I first heard of the term “compassion fatigue” on the show Patriot Act by Hasan Minhaj. With the constant onslaught of news and information, particularly tragic ones, we become prone to mental exhaustion brought about by the pressure to be aware of every single issue that pervades our life. Eventually, our ability to empathize deteriorates. We become unable to dedicate our mental energies to even the things that matter most. Minhaj likens this phenomenon to having several tabs open on our mental browser, which is on the verge of crashing.
The solution to compassion fatigue, according to Minhaj, is to “just pick a couple of things to not care about, for your sanity.” Doing this doesn’t mean that we should remain completely apathetic to other issues, or as Minhaj says: “I’m not saying shut down your browser – just close down a couple of tabs.” For example, you could assign yourself to care more about gender issues, public health, and local politics, but this doesn’t mean you neglect other things like mental health issues or environmental sustainability. You will be more involved with the issues that matter to you, but you can still be involved in other issues in smaller ways such as reducing your consumption of single-use plastics, or by making sure you’re there for a friend struggling with mental health problems.
It’s difficult for us to keep up to date and care about each and every issue out there. However, it is still important for us to concern ourselves with issues beyond our own and lend ourselves to care and fight for the things that matter. Along the way, we must also remember that caring has its limits and that we must also look after our own mental welfare so that we may continue to contribute to these causes.
