Find good in Humankind
Sarah Zeeck
Issue date: 9/21/09 Section: Opinion
We are living in a very depressing world. Homicides flood the news circuits, along with plague, war and pestilence. People, even the exalted "celebrities" we tend to idolize, are name-calling and finger pointing. The "swine flu" pandemic has swept the nation, causing people to fear for their lives. We are amidst a bleak economic climate with little promise for improvement on the horizon. It feels as if a rain cloud is following us around at all times. No wonder we're all becoming depressed. It feels like we're in dark times with no escape.
Part of the problem, though, is our selective news choices. No one chooses to read about or see the good things that are happening all around us - and trust me, there are positive things happening. Think about every nonprofit fundraiser you've seen recently helping foundations such as the Humane Society, Feed America or Habitat for Humanity. The people that volunteer for those organizations do so not for their own benefit but for the benefit of others.
Even on a smaller scale, think about every stranger that was kind to you in any capacity. When dining at a local restaurant a week ago, my boyfriend and I waited about 45 minutes for our food because the restaurant was busy. The wait staff was so nice, discounting the food until it was nearly free. The workers and managers didn't have to do that, but they did anyway.
MSNBC.com has an entire section devoted to good happenings in the world, called "Wonderful World." There are reports on the site of two boys who saved a 4-year-old child from a burning SUV, numerous people who donated kidneys to strangers, and a boy making a journey 100 miles in a wheelchair over a span of four days to raise $20,000 for cerebral palsy and scoliosis, among many other stories.
The good stuff is out there, but is it what you remember? I'd wager not. The vicious cycle of the media reporting every bad happening and the consumers hungering after the drama is not new to anyone. We fuel the news that is published. America has, sadly, fallen into a cynical cycle of pessimism.
This isn't to say we should forget about the death, plague and pestilence. It has a place - those issues are important to remember. However, it's important to stay abreast of every happening in the world around you, and that includes the positive contributions our fellow society members have made in the world.
The end to the cycle of pessimism is in our hands. Opt to see the good in life on occasion - it evidently exists. Stop being a "Debbie Downer" and open your eyes for a change. The world isn't always the horribly negative place we've painted it to be.
Part of the problem, though, is our selective news choices. No one chooses to read about or see the good things that are happening all around us - and trust me, there are positive things happening. Think about every nonprofit fundraiser you've seen recently helping foundations such as the Humane Society, Feed America or Habitat for Humanity. The people that volunteer for those organizations do so not for their own benefit but for the benefit of others.
Even on a smaller scale, think about every stranger that was kind to you in any capacity. When dining at a local restaurant a week ago, my boyfriend and I waited about 45 minutes for our food because the restaurant was busy. The wait staff was so nice, discounting the food until it was nearly free. The workers and managers didn't have to do that, but they did anyway.
MSNBC.com has an entire section devoted to good happenings in the world, called "Wonderful World." There are reports on the site of two boys who saved a 4-year-old child from a burning SUV, numerous people who donated kidneys to strangers, and a boy making a journey 100 miles in a wheelchair over a span of four days to raise $20,000 for cerebral palsy and scoliosis, among many other stories.
The good stuff is out there, but is it what you remember? I'd wager not. The vicious cycle of the media reporting every bad happening and the consumers hungering after the drama is not new to anyone. We fuel the news that is published. America has, sadly, fallen into a cynical cycle of pessimism.
This isn't to say we should forget about the death, plague and pestilence. It has a place - those issues are important to remember. However, it's important to stay abreast of every happening in the world around you, and that includes the positive contributions our fellow society members have made in the world.
The end to the cycle of pessimism is in our hands. Opt to see the good in life on occasion - it evidently exists. Stop being a "Debbie Downer" and open your eyes for a change. The world isn't always the horribly negative place we've painted it to be.
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