Recent Tragedy
Hello, everyone! Sorry for the unplanned pause. Missed Thursday's post by total accident because I've been filming our group project for this past week! It's strange that people can even find a consistency in posting because 1) social media is very dominant in regards to the requirement of available time & the simultaneous expectation of enough free time to spend it socializing & creating aesthetics, and 2) life itself can be a bit overwhelming at times, especially when we can't predict global incidents around the world.
This is in reference to Marawi, to Manchester, to Syria and all these other zones that are filled with internal and external conflict in how we convey tragedy. There's this intriguing Vox video about the dangers of constantly absorbing international and domestic violence, and that self-reflection is vital for determining when you should focus on certain content or not.
It's also very important to not circulate photos of the deceased, or even that of the injured. Don't circulate photos that could have been taken without their knowledge and without their comfort. That being said, it's ridiculous that journalists are so insistent on gathering information for sensationalist journaling. I haven't mentioned how much I hate the Daily Mail & its clickbait, but there are several other news agencies that are motivated based on sensationalism and driven by their invasiveness.
Overall, I just wanted to emphasize how important it is that you give yourself time to recover. Keep track of your hobbies, check up on your friends, journal for yourself--this is your life. There is so much to stress over, so much to be concerned, and yes, you can dedicate time to helping, such as donating blood or giving money to relief & rescue organizations, or spreading the word about available resources. But really, at the end of the day you'll have to help yourself as much as you want to help those people, because you're taking on a heavy amount of emotional duress. Accommodate that. Spend some time with your thoughts, understand these anxieties and the secondhand trauma behind them, and keep working to balance out the emotions in your body.
I know I still have a lot of work to do. But know that, no matter what, you're not alone.
Yours Sincerely,
Dianne
This is in reference to Marawi, to Manchester, to Syria and all these other zones that are filled with internal and external conflict in how we convey tragedy. There's this intriguing Vox video about the dangers of constantly absorbing international and domestic violence, and that self-reflection is vital for determining when you should focus on certain content or not.
It's also very important to not circulate photos of the deceased, or even that of the injured. Don't circulate photos that could have been taken without their knowledge and without their comfort. That being said, it's ridiculous that journalists are so insistent on gathering information for sensationalist journaling. I haven't mentioned how much I hate the Daily Mail & its clickbait, but there are several other news agencies that are motivated based on sensationalism and driven by their invasiveness.
Overall, I just wanted to emphasize how important it is that you give yourself time to recover. Keep track of your hobbies, check up on your friends, journal for yourself--this is your life. There is so much to stress over, so much to be concerned, and yes, you can dedicate time to helping, such as donating blood or giving money to relief & rescue organizations, or spreading the word about available resources. But really, at the end of the day you'll have to help yourself as much as you want to help those people, because you're taking on a heavy amount of emotional duress. Accommodate that. Spend some time with your thoughts, understand these anxieties and the secondhand trauma behind them, and keep working to balance out the emotions in your body.
I know I still have a lot of work to do. But know that, no matter what, you're not alone.
Yours Sincerely,
Dianne
