So your watching the news, and you hear about how Pakistan might be a failed state, and Osama Bin Laden has released a new tape. The Swine Flu is gripping the nation, and chances are it could be the worst thing to ever happen to humans. On top of that you hear how Zimbabwe is in a political stalemate, and events in Darfur aren’t getting any better. The big question that you are probably asking yourself is how worried should I be?
First off, just relax, and realize that the media has a way of scaring people. Most of the isuses that you are going to be hearing about will probably not effect you directly. Yes they are terrible events, and yes they are important, but chances are you will be just fine. The Swine Flu isn’t going to kill you, and the situation in Zimbabwe isn’t really going to make much of a difference in your life.
Your next question might be something to the effect of, “How do I ignore all the suffering in the world?” I wouldn’t advise you to just ignore it, or act like it isn’t happening, I just think that you need to put it into perspective. If something you see really moves you, take some action. If you want to help the people in Darfur, then make a donation to the Red Cross, or start a blog to raise awareness. If you don’t want the Swine Flu, just do research, and take common sense steps.
The world has always been a pretty eventful place to live in. There have always been wars, famines, injustice, and many other bad things. The thing is to keep this in mind when you hear about all the bad things that are going on today. All you can really control is yourself, and how you go about living your life. Can terrorists really effect your day to day life? Will the people of Darfur rise up and come back to get you?
No, and no. While I can’t say that another 9/11 couldn’t happen, it isn’t something that I worry about too much. I think the key to lessening your amount of angst toward the events of the world is to just not worry so much. You have your own life to live, and you can’t let the events of the world paralyze you. The best thing to do is to just take action for the causes that you find moving.
When you watch the news, you have to keep an open mind. When you see someone suffering, or someone making a threat of a terrorist attack, you have to think for yourself. Do your own research, and take action if something really is bugging you. Otherwise, you have to just keep going in your daily life, and not let the world scare you. An individual has a great amount that they can offer, and can really effect things if they try. You could be scared, or you can be as Ghandi says “The change that you want to see in the world.”
