The concept of compassion fatigue is well known. If someone is inundated with successive tragedies and requests for assistance, the impulse is to crawl into a hole and ignore any subsequent pleas. Recent events bring up a new buzzword: Outrage fatigue.
Outrage fatigue occurs when you’re constantly bombarded with news, tweets, emails, and the like that bring your blood pressure perilously close to stroke territory. In this case, you retreat to your refuge of cat videos and comfort food. The temptation is particularly strong here in the Seattle area: We have elected representatives who are of like mind, and calling to encourage them not to affirm a particular Cabinet nominee (or the whole lot) is preaching to the choir. We also wonder: When does this end? I can’t quit my job and become a professional protester. Such a position certainly won’t pay my rent.
I’m afraid there is no cure for outrage fatigue, especially these days. However, we may be able to manage it. Focus on one or two issues that have particular resonance for you, be it climate change, immigrant rights, or other topics, As can be seen from this previous post, I’m focusing on the suppression of government scientists and dissemination of their data. Already a few reversals have come, but vigilance is necessary to prevent backsliding. Doing a little is better than doing nothing.
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