Are we outraged more as a society than we used to be? Is the catalyst required that ignites outrage less? I think so but I am unsure. The feeling I tend to get is that over the last 25 years I have been watching quite closely, I think that we as a society are taking less and less to get worked up and our reactions are increasingly strong.
It likely has many factors but, the internet plays a heavy roll as we are exposed to more and more information which is getting sensationalized at a higher rate than ever to attract our attention, to get eyes and earn a few more advertising dollars. We get polarized but, we are progressively feeling that our voice matters, that we do have some power and the internet provides many platforms. The push for individualism further magnifies this.
I also think that our ability to process, critical think and handle our emotions are decreasing. For the last several decades we have been brainwashed into getting in touch with our emotions and t express them but, not told to consider the dangers of attaching ourselves to them or the harm we can cause through our expression. We feel entitled to voice our displeasure and feel marginalized if our rants go unheard. We demand an audience, no matter how damaging our words.
On top of this, we are then conditioned to respond to bells and whistles that then trigger our emotions and heighten our senses rapidly. We mount our horse and charge without fully considering the circumstances nor the manipulations laid out in front of us. It is aim and fire but, we aren't necessarily the ones doing the aiming.
I wonder if we realize just how much kindling has been packed in around us to light the fires but, how futile most of our actions are. We sit behind our keyboards talking ideals and change, feeling that we are making inroads and progress, feeling we are fighting the good fight but, is this the case. How much is burning and, how much is the illusion of fire?
Can you feel the heat?
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
