I recently told someone that I was not engaging in viewing much news right now. The 24/7 nature of war reporting, allied with the negative bombardment of horrific images through social media, with the constant doubt about validity and truth, meant that I was becoming consumed by the sheer volume of information. Rather than feeling informed, I felt overwhelmed, if not traumatised.
Their response was that this decision to ‘look away’, while the world burned, was exactly what the warlords would wish us to do. To hide our heads in the sand, look the other way, and let them get on with destruction, killing and lawlessness with impunity.
This is certainly a powerful argument, and it got me thinking.
Does me (little old me) not looking at all the reports coming out of Iran and surrounding countries, mean that I am not concerned? No.
Does it mean I am not interested in the geopolitics of Ukraine, or the prospects for finding a way out, and to finding a path to peace? No.
Am I somehow betraying, or turning my back on people’s suffering in Palestine, by not consuming as much information as is humanly possible to consume? I don’t think so.
I believe that there is a confusion in our brain about the role of “Control”. When bad things happen, it is natural for people to look at what they can control? We don’t like loss of control. Grasping for control is ultimately linked to our desire for survival. “If I lose control, I might die!” That may sound extreme, but deep down in our belief systems, that fear lurks.
Now, some might feel that one way to regain control of a situation that they can do nothing about, is to read as much, watch as much, or listen to as much news as they can. It is not clear how that gives more control, but it may satisfy a part of the fear centre in our brain, that we are, at least, staying informed, allowing us to rail against all the bad things happening.
Others may occupy a position, from which they feel control is better preserved or protected, by “choosing” what, when, and how much, they consume. By rejecting 24/7 coverage. By treating social media coverage sceptically. By being selective about what one consumes, and when, helps some individuals take back control.
This strategy may also ensure that the deluge of bad news does not dominate our attention, allowing us to carry on with everyday tasks, activities or hobbies, and helping us to maintain a sense of control and autonomy in a world that, too often, leaves us feeling helpless.
Where does your attention move to when you feel a loss of control?
