It is undeniable that our society lives on the consumption of emotion, be it pleasure, fear or hate. We as a people feast on stimuli in the hope of an emotional payoff. I have seen firsthand the day-to-day experiences of life being tainted by news of war, hurt and awareness that the most terrible injustices are happening. Mainstream news outlets inflate the truth to a degree that is unsavory, and our own emotions have been turned against us. Our consumption clouds our daily experiences.

My experience with news has been tiring; it has drained me and made me weary. My news outlet has been, for the most part, second-hand from family and friends, yet I’m still stuffed with the same regurgitated spiel of contamination within our society, followed by the short-lived spark of hope that is sure to fade.

I know I must keep informed about my present situation as part of the larger machine – that is, this country – but every time I try to take a look at the larger machine, I seem to get caught in its gears. I become wrapped up and hurt. All I can see is major news outlets capitalizing on our outrage, joy and stress, not the realistic truth.

I find living in the present, while not living in total oblivion to larger events happening every day, is an uphill battle. In a time of information, everything seems cloudier than the truth. Finding the real truth without the drama getting in the way is rare. It becomes even more muddled with the immense impact AI has on whether what we see in the media is really true or manufactured.

I have to ask myself how often the drama so prevalent on the news is realistic, and how often these injustices apply to my everyday life and my community. Whether it’s the “racist Right” prosecuting another minority, the “woke Left” saying something blasphemous or those too fearful to take any stance, threatening change for the nation’s betterment.

Though this does not mean I don’t acknowledge the right to people’s speech, the only reason I am allowed to share my feelings is because of the First Amendment. All I say is what we should think about whether the concerns of both sides are being taken not from the majority, but from the extremes.

I simply wish for hope, for something to change for the better, to ease my mind. Some of my close family has done the same, putting their faith fully in what they see in the news, only to get disappointed, then to continue watching out of spite.

The hopelessness of the Nation’s present circumstances is certainly looking grim. My feelings fall under simply focusing on the present and my community. News – in my opinion – feels more of a snare than a guide to understanding what is truly happening.

I find joy in understanding and trying to benefit my community, my family, and whatever lies beyond that. My exhaustion with the news has led me to find new joy in the little things: the continuation of my education, my growth physically and spiritually, and the efforts to pursue future goals. Call it selfishness or unwillingness to face the bigger picture, but I am an individual with my own life and focus. Maybe, just maybe, if we all focused on living in the present, looking for truth in our communities while acknowledging turmoil, whilst not dwelling on issues, maybe we could make some lasting peace of mind.