Compassion Fatigue

"The Scream" by Munch

When I first watched the movie several years ago with my older kids and my best friend’s family, my first reaction was nauseating. I wanted to close the shutters I didn’t have and disconnect my cell phone, while tossing every electronic device we owned into the garbage. Anything that might be linked or accessed by the outside world, even remotely, was not essential to our well being, in fact, it was detrimental!

The seed was planted in my subconscious by Hoblit's 2008 macabre thriller Untraceable. The film exposes the darker side of the human psyche as a serial killer uses cyber technology to make the public active participants in the slow torturous murder of his victims. Through the killer’s website, which is fed by human interaction and propelled by the number of hits it gets, the people are able to control the speed at which the victims succumb to the killer’s gruesome scheme.

Now, the suffocating feeling I experienced was not as a result of the actual psychopath’s scheme, or from his ability to engage the public in such dark manipulation. Instead, my heart sank at the thought of people continuing to be involved as conspirators of the hideous crimes, despite knowing the ghastly outcome of their participation.

And so, I ask the question – is it really possible for our society to become so desensitized that people are willing to witness, and even participate in horrific crimes, without feeling some degree of remorse or responsibility? Perhaps I’m taking this question a bit too far, but it is not far-fetched to declare that in general terms society has become less empathetic - particularly as it relates to social issues.

I believe that mass media plays an important role in this phenomenon and must assume a great deal of the blame. Although it is the vital mechanism that keep us informed and connected in extraordinary ways, studies demonstrate that too much exposure to certain negative messages, such as violent crimes, desensitizes consumers and can eventually bring about compassion fatigue. The pervasive nature of media and the way in which it is delivered not only causes such burnout, but also accelerates it.

A study about desensitization, conducted by Kinnick, Krugman, and Cameron (1996), suggests that as people are overexposed to negative news through multiple layers of mass media, particularly as it relates to violent crimes, they tend to become less sensitive to the topic - even if it is a serious social problem. As the public becomes emotionally overwhelmed, they tend to withdraw from the issue resulting in failure to recognize its relevance to them. Other similar studies highlight that persistent delivery of negative news tends to normalize certain social problems and leads to a diminished shock factor.

So then, why do people react to certain horrid news with such enthusiasm? The study of how we consume social media might reveal the psychology behind this observation. For example, why did it take a fatal “planking” accident to popularize this trendy and illogical past time in the US? Why was March 11, 2011, the day of the Japan earthquake, the most active in terms of Tweets? And why did March 12, the day after the quake, yield such exorbitant numbers of Twitter registrations?

Have we become so desensitized, as a result of mass and social media over-stimulation, that only catastrophic news has the ability to really engage us in a profound manner? If so, perhaps we should start thinking of ways to counter these effects, before it is too late and we all find ourselves glued to our computer, mobile phones or iPad screens rooting for the next victim to appear…and just as easily be extinguished...with the simple stroke of a key.

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In the Heights

As the news of her death was announced, I could hear the sobs of many around me. The Anglo woman sitting beside me quietly wept while my own eyes swelled with tears, which despite my effort to control, were slowly rolling down my cheeks. Her wisdom and kindness etched in her powerful yet gentle character, she could have been anyone’s grandmother. 

Abuela Claudia, one of the central characters of the musical “In the Heights,” anchors the story of a Cuban-Puerto Rican family as they try to find their rightful place in a new country.

But the underlying story of this Grammy and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical is not just about the Latino immigrant. With her powerful lyrics in “Paciencia y Fe,” Abuela reveals the story of the immigrant people that have, for hundreds of years, weaved the fabric of this nation.

She sings of her native country, the one she left behind as a young girl – filled with hope for a new life in the land of opportunity. She lives her life waiting patiently, never losing faith and thankful for the simple things in life and for the opportunities she has been gifted. Abuela never quite makes it though. She grows old hoping but never fully achieving. As the matriarch, she becomes the voice of wisdom in a community that is determined to hold on to its heritage while embracing the possibilities of a new beginning.

Named after a U.S. Navy vessel, Usnavi is the epitome of hard work and perseverance. A sensitive young man with a shy streak and a colorful personality, he draws his strength from Abuela Claudia and without realizing it, becomes a dynamic role model for other young men in the barrio. After a series of unfortunate events, which he believes will lead to the inevitable demise of his precious neighborhood, Usnavi finally realizes the pivotal task with which he has been entrusted, as the warden of his culture.

Nina, the other central figure in “In the Heights,” depicts the dichotomy that exists within every immigrant. Anxious to belong and to expand her wings beyond the confines of her barrio, Nina is burdened by the self-imposed need to represent her community while making them proud. As she ventures into mainstream America, she realizes that it is precisely her ways, her language, and her customs that make her an alien among the very people she once believed to be a part of.

“In the Heights” is a celebration of the rich diversity and unique collection of cultures that make this country extraordinary. It is a story of hope, inspiration, respect, and dignity. And it is the story of every immigrant that was and will continue to be.

http://www.intheheightsthemusical.com/

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"Slight Turbulence"

Feeling totally vulnerable inside an airplane with more than 150 fellow passengers, I try to steer my mind away from the fact that this bullet is suspended 35,000 feet above the earth. I pretend I'm not the least bit apprehensive as the airplane springs and leaps while the flight attendant announces the "slight turbulence" we are experiencing.

Sitting at either side, my two sons show me a forced smile while trying to hide their genuine concern over the situation. As I look around I see other passengers quietly searching for reassurance from the attendant’s inexpressive gaze, and secretly waiting for the answer to the question they do not dare utter - "will this plane make it home?"

Half a dozen round-trips a year have helped me accept the fact that when we board an airplane our lives are at the mercy of the pilot, the weather, the aircraft, but most importantly fate. Other than prayer, meditation, sleep, or some type of distraction such as reading or listening to music, there is not much we can do appease our fear of flying - at least not without alcohol or meds.

Yes, I went there - fear of flying - I confess!

My first frightening airplane encounter came just after my 9th birthday when I left my native country accompanied by my family. The trip was slated to take about nine hours with one layover in some minute island in the Atlantic Ocean, I had never heard of. Instead, the infamous "turbulence" delayed the flight by nearly three hours and gave each and every one in that fateful flight the scare of a life time. I don’t think about it often, but when I do, those dreadful feelings of ambivalence completely take over and I relive the moments I chose to forget more than three decades ago.

I was sitting beside my twin sister with my older sister on the aisle seat, when suddenly the airplane took a nose dive that propelled our heads into the backrest, with a hammering force that was almost painful. The pilot managed to level the craft, but only for a few minutes. Within a short time, the plane again dove sharply, but this time the force caused the overhang compartments to swing open, sending all the items crashing onto the passengers.

My two older sisters wailed as my twin and I held each other in complete disbelief, not daring to make a sound in fear of greater destruction. My parents tried to calm and comfort us by minimizing the situation. But the panic we felt and the cries we heard throughout the plane made their efforts null. There was screaming, vomiting, and crying throughout the bullet craft.

We thought it was the end. But it wasn't, it was just "slight turbulence."

At last, we have arrived at our destination. Once again fate is on my side.

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