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How do you be aware of major issues in the world and locally without becoming deeply depressed and cynical? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by ComradeMiao@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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As someone in the US it’s so easy to see so many depressing issues from the ravages of capitalism, to war, imperialism, and genocide. How can one care about these issues and hope for change without allowing themselves to be affected mentally?

I’ve been considering this for the past week, connecting it with Buddhist compassion towards the world and a need for mindfulness. But it’s so easy to fall into emotionlessness.

I’ve also thought through the world has always had issues and though some are getting much worse some are getting better.

I have gone to counseling before but they just make it an individual problem when it’s the world.

Edit: doesn’t have to be US centric. Just I’m writing from that pov

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[–] LaLuzDelSol@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Reading through all the other doomposts I felt obligated to share my view.

I read national/international news every day, and I'm still optimistic about humanity's future.

First off, I don't bother with local news at all. That really is just a cesspool of crime reporting. My dad summarized local news pretty well: "someone was murdered today, and heres some footage of blood on the pavement."

As far as national and international news goes, I read it because I think it's interesting and it's good to stay informed, but you can't use it as a barometer for how the world's doing, because news is just inherently negative. It doesn't mean the world is actually doing bad!

Which of the following do you think would get reported as a headline?

"Indonesia enjoys another year without a tsunami"

"Thousand killed as tsunami ravages Indonesian coast"

"Global poverty rate continues slow, steady decline"

"Millions at risk of starvation as African crops fail"

"Good news, no new deadly infectious diseases this year"

"Scientists raise alarm over spread of bird flu"

I think maybe it's helpful to think of the news not as objective reporting on the state of the world but rather like a police blotter that just logs bad things that have happened. And I think it's perfectly fine to tune it out and just live your life. If you're interested in a particular issue, like homelessness or an election maybe look at a less sensational information source like Wikipedia or something.

Also, just a little mini-rant: the two types of people who are most negative about the state of the world are religious missionaries and leftists. Because in order to convince you that the world needs a savior they have to convince you that we aren't on a path to do it ourselves. So, maybe steer clear of news on Lemmy as well haha

[–] Cataphract@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Kinda sad to see the local news comment. I'm not sure if there's just a really bad local news station by you or there's some preconceived notions floating there, but you're more likely to remember the reporting of a death versus Grandma Martha's award winning plant that got recognition.

If you have other techniques for staying up to date with local and state events please share them, people need to be involved with local more than national (both are important, statistically you impact local more though). I have a couple of local news stations that I follow with their online postings. I feel it's important to comment and discuss on those because the only vocal people seem to be extremists on there, people need to see that there are like minded people nearby so it's not so weird to think differently to them.

I'm also confused by your religious missionaries and leftists comment, are you including the right-wing with religious? I can't argue that everyone doesn't push the whole savior narrative, just not sure why you singled out those two groups and left everyone else out lol.

[–] LaLuzDelSol@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

The reason I singled out leftists is that over the last couple decades, in the ideological struggle between socialists and capitalists... the capitalists pretty much won. There are are still some holdouts around the world but in general leftists are left on the outside looking in as the capitalist-led world grows more prosperous (and lots of bad things too, I'm not trying to play it off as capitalist good socialist bad). But in their position, all leftists can really do is criticize the status quo. And, again, there are plenty of valid criticisms to make, but because they are removed from power leftists can't do very much "look at the good things socialism is doing," it's 99% "look at all the bad things capitalism is doing". At least in the US/Western Europe.

The right-wing can at least say things like "the economy is doing well" and "technology is advancing due to [Company]'s breakthrough" in between fear-mongering about immigration.

[–] Cataphract@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ah, guess we've just hit different perspectives in life. I live in the rural south of the US. So radio, local news, politicians, and social conversations all basically skew either religious or right-wing (often times mixed). The fear-mongering is constant. One of the reasons why I was so discouraged by the DNC this last election cycle; they lead with fear mongering lately, which I was already inundated with.

[–] LaLuzDelSol@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Yeah I guess you're right. Both sides have been pretty...apocalyptic lately.