The Ukrainian war is, of course, still going on and is just as significant as it was two years ago. Yet the flags that covered buildings, houses, and brandings are no longer in sight. Social media posts have been replaced with coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war is no longer at the forefront of headlines and social discussions. So, the question is, have we been desensitized?
Studies suggest these past few decades, we have lived in 'generational fear', AKA we are constantly anxious because of how much bad news we are regularly exposed to. We wake up and look at our phones to see posts and reposts about death, genocide, war, crime...the list goes on. We then scroll through TikTok and watch reactions and conversations about these topics. Next, scroll through Twitter to read the comments and opinions. Then, go back to Instagram to see the many story updates, reels, and news organisation content. At the end of the day, when you look at the media, it's often one bad thing after another. In times like these, it can sometimes be a struggle to find a bit of hope in humanity and not feel helpless.
Social media thus has becomes a double-edged sword. It helps raise awareness of crucial topics and is a powerful tool to utilise social change (this cannot be denied after witnessing the results of the likes of BlackLivesMatter and the #MeToo movement). However, its use must be negotiated to find the right balance. Suppose the scales get tipped over, with audiences no longer being informed of worldly events but bombarded with too much information. In that case, these critical topics and events will unfortunately become normalised, whether we want them to or not.
It's no surprise that studies have suggested that we can lose interest or shock to horrific events as a way to psychologically cope. And this indifference can be dangerous. This is not to say audiences lack compassion, but when coverage starts to feel mechanical, we start to forget that these figures and statistics thrown at us do represent real people and real lives.
So, though it's hard, remember: the Ukraine war has not ended. Many wars continue, and unfortunately, many more will likely occur in the future. However, as long as we continue to do what we can, support where we can, and at least continue to attempt to face these conflicts with empathy rather than a rising trend, then there may be hope for us yet.
