an essay about life lately
We are a generation that is hopeful -
For our parents who struggled through preceding recessions, wars, and epidemics.
For our children that have just stepped into this world
For our siblings, we can no longer protect
For our loved ones, because we want the best for them
For our friends, because they bring us joy
hope - the last man standing in a world that is witnessing the quiet disappearance of humanity, compassion, empathy….
We’ve been clinging on to it hard, as we drift through the ‘age of worry’
Personally, the past couple of years have aged me at a 2x rate. Remember the undying wildfires in Australia in Dec 2019? Close on its heels was the pandemic that literally brought the world to a standstill. the pandemic that then exposed us as humans - our governments, healthcare systems, wealth, and concern for one another?
this was followed by the death of George Floyd, the many floods, the vaccine inequality, unstable interest rates, unemployment, Monkeypox and when we were just beginning to remove our masks - Russia went and invaded Ukraine.
Through it all, we tried to focus on the good things, we really did.
but there was always some new fracture in humanity that sucked us right back in.
To me, the straw that finally broke the camel’s back has been the inhumane destruction and death in Gaza and all the Israeli hostages..
I don’t remember the last time the news didn’t give me serious anxiety and on some days, even mini panic attacks.
while so much of the news can seem larger than life or inconsequential to our everyday life, it’s hard to ignore the truth - it has and continues to affect us personally at some level. This is the age of worry.
An underlying worry of things at a global level that don’t bring our lives to a standstill, but affect us nonetheless. I’ve seen micro consequences of global affairs affect me. It’s manifested in the way I interact with others, lowered my tolerance on a few topics, made me value what I have more, and also pushed me to be more politically conscious.
It’s almost foolish to think it doesn’t affect us because it’s not happening to us or to our country.
With the deep reach of social media, the news has been amplified like never before, but so has the hate, the biased opinions, the misinformation. All catalysts to our worry.
while worry is to be reserved for the things we can control, how do we respond to catastrophes larger than us?
Worry almost feels safe.
We try to reason with ourselves and our peers and friends, how our worry won’t change anything, how we are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and how our contributions in any way won’t move the needle enough. This worry ebbs and flows, sometimes it’s crippling and on other days it’s no more than a fleeting thought. we are not exactly ready for the next catastrophe, but little would surprise us anymore - because the age of worry has established a baseline for us.
but the human spirit has a little spark, a little fire that won’t go away. It’s what has led us through countless adversities. from this very worry stems action - small everyday actions that may not seem impactful, but collectively are driving change.
we go out to vote, we amplify things we care about on social media, we stand in solidarity as allies, we go out and protest, we fact check, we waste less…
And most importantly, we are a generation that has mastered existence in the age of worry, fiercely protecting our homes and loved ones. Not letting that worry or give up our hope in humanity…
“Alive in the age of worry
Rage in the age of worry
Sing out in the age of worry
And sing Worry, why should I care?
Rage in the age of worry
Act your age in the age of worry
And sing Worry, get out of here!”
John Mayer
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