I'm avoiding the news like the devil avoids the cross. I realized some time ago how these headlines affect me. Especially because journalism tends to exaggerate, endlessly repeating tragedies, creating an almost inevitable sense of negativity.
The fire in Los Angeles, for example, was
devastating. But perhaps even more devastating is watching the repeated footage
of people crying in front of the cameras, showing the loss of their homes and
memories. The pain is palpable, but repetition turns tragedy into spectacle. I
do not diminish the suffering of these people. I imagine myself in front of the
TV, watching my home consumed by flames—it must be an unbearable pain!
I still remember a flood in Brazil. A man stood
with water up to his waist, looking at his nearly submerged house. A journalist
approached him, microphone in hand, and asked, "How do you feel seeing
your house like this?" The man’s gaze and silence were more eloquent than
any words could ever be. That scene stayed with me.
I am exhausted by sensationalism. This also
applies to illnesses. The diseases of public figures are exploited by the
media, exposing their human fragility; capitalizing on someone else's suffering
to capture an audience’s attention is an abuse of the trust we place in
journalism. While humanizing celebrities can make them more relatable, using
their struggles to sell a drama is so exploitative!
And we, as consumers, are part of this
cycle—and I am one of them. There will always be those who buy the cream that
promises instant rejuvenation. "Before and after" photos, excessively
manipulated, feed illusions that sustain an industry of false hopes.
But resistance is possible. Choosing not to
engage with sensationalist content is a small gesture that, over time, can lead
to meaningful change.
Choosing respect over spectacle. Maybe, in
time, the silence of those who reject this cycle will speak louder than the
voices that exploit not only human pain but also the appeal of consumerism.
In
this year of 2025, I am seriously rethinking my clicks.
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