Why is this world burning so badly lately?

2-feign-reluctance

I am struggling to find the positive outside of my life. So much hate, violence, ignorance. My logical brain says 24 hour news media/social media have done their part, but my emotional brain can't resolve it.

brianlux

Totally can understand your feelings. My brother once told me, "the world is gasoline and fire but you can only do what you can do. You're cool. I'm cool. Cool." It was a silly little statement I suppose but it's always stayed with me.

My way of coping is to do what I can to make a difference, find pleasure in what I can, help others, find something that is a mental talisman (for me, rock and roll), feed my brain with good words, images and sounds, get out into the real world whether it be the wilderness or a city park and remember that this is it- one life and give it my best shot.

And I think you've hinted at something else important which is to turn off the news now and then. Not that we should be ignorant or apathetic- far from it- but taking a break from the troubles of the world and recharging now and then is a wise move.

PJ_Soul

You mean still?

pjhawks

in the words of Mr. Springsteen:
"Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and a king ain't satisfied until he rules everything"

in my words: people suck

dankind

2-feign-reluctance said:

I am struggling to find the positive outside of my life. So much hate, violence, ignorance. My logical brain says 24 hour news media/social media have done their part, but my emotional brain can't resolve it.

Chris, my friend. I'm with you.

And not for nothing, but I think that both of us being fathers of not-yet-school-aged children has something to do with our increased sensitivity. There's too much violence, misery and death befalling the world's children, and it's too easy to imagine your child trapped in one of these all-too-real nightmares. Also, I think it makes us question ourselves for bringing such precious life into such a brutal realm -- at least, I do.

I've had trouble eating and sleeping over some of the things I've seen and read.

brianlux said:

Totally can understand your feelings. My brother once told me, "the world is gasoline and fire but you can only do what you can do. You're cool. I'm cool. Cool." It was a silly little statement I suppose but it's always stayed with me....

And I think you've hinted at something else important which is to turn off the news now and then. Not that we should be ignorant or apathetic- far from it- but taking a break from the troubles of the world and recharging now and then is a wise move.

And Brian, my wife, who is also very upset over the current state of the world, has asked me why I'm reading this or why I'm looking at that. On one hand, I feel like I'm bearing witness. I know how that sounds. But "if ignorance is bliss, then knock the smile off my face." She has also just recommended that at some point, I need to take a step back from the news. The problem with that is that I work in a newsroom, so no luck there.

I don't know. We're going to Cape Cod in about a week. I think we'll both try to relax and enjoy our awesome family then. Fishbone is playing The Beachcomber. I'll probably be flying solo for that outing, though. The last time we saw Fishbone together my wife caught a handful of Angelo Moore's junk. She's still traumatized. ^#(^

brianlux

dankind said:

2-feign-reluctance said:

I am struggling to find the positive outside of my life. So much hate, violence, ignorance. My logical brain says 24 hour news media/social media have done their part, but my emotional brain can't resolve it.

Chris, my friend. I'm with you.

And not for nothing, but I think that both of us being fathers of not-yet-school-aged children has something to do with our increased sensitivity. There's too much violence, misery and death befalling the world's children, and it's too easy to imagine your child trapped in one of these all-too-real nightmares. Also, I think it makes us question ourselves for bringing such precious life into such a brutal realm -- at least, I do.

I've had trouble eating and sleeping over some of the things I've seen and read.

brianlux said:

Totally can understand your feelings. My brother once told me, "the world is gasoline and fire but you can only do what you can do. You're cool. I'm cool. Cool." It was a silly little statement I suppose but it's always stayed with me....

And I think you've hinted at something else important which is to turn off the news now and then. Not that we should be ignorant or apathetic- far from it- but taking a break from the troubles of the world and recharging now and then is a wise move.

And Brian, my wife, who is also very upset over the current state of the world, has asked me why I'm reading this or why I'm looking at that. On one hand, I feel like I'm bearing witness. I know how that sounds. But "if ignorance is bliss, then knock the smile off my face." She has also just recommended that at some point, I need to take a step back from the news. The problem with that is that I work in a newsroom, so no luck there.

I don't know. We're going to Cape Cod in about a week. I think we'll both try to relax and enjoy our awesome family then. Fishbone is playing The Beachcomber. I'll probably be flying solo for that outing, though. The last time we saw Fishbone together my wife caught a handful of Angelo Moore's junk. She's still traumatized. ^#(^

Trying to ignore the news and working in a newsroom. Yeah, that might be a bit tough. LOL!

Have a great vacation, Dankind!

2-feign-reluctance

I think you are right about being a new Daddy. I tend to engage things fully present and mindful, and when all this bad in the world starts flying at me in soundbites, hashtags, one sentence 'discussions' of opinion ('send whips of opinion down my back'.. - JB) I just feel so overblown by it. There is only so much of this I can mindfully attend to before it gets me. Thanks for the open support Daniel - means a lot man. I actually felt some relief reading what you wrote.