Between terrorist attacks all over the world, mass shootings, the Brexit, and the current election cycle in the U.S., the world news over the past year has been especially tumultuous. Whenever we open a newspaper, turn on the news, or even check Facebook, we are constantly bombarded with event after upsetting event. I'm not claiming that the current state of the world is markedly worse than any other period in history, but it is the only world I have closely experienced, and it often feels like a scary place on the verge of descending into complete chaos.
But just when I am about to lose faith in the world's goodness, I see some small act of kindness that reminds me of one very important fact: The world is not a horrible place. It may contain some horrible people, but it is not a horrible place.
During uncertain or confusing times, it is crucial to remember that no matter how many shootings or terrorist attacks the media reports, the majority of people in the world are good people. Our perspective of the world becomes warped by the constant reporting of terrible events on news and social media outlets, but the media tends to heavily report the worst news possible. This can lead to many people, including myself, losing sight of all of the genuine goodness in the world.
This goodness is certainly present in the incredible love and support poured out by regular citizens to mourn for an area stricken by hatred and violence, whether it be Orlando, Nice, Turkey, or any of the multitude of locations currently under a dark cloud of fear. But it is also present in innocent, everyday instances that never make the news.
It's little things, such as my campers holding the door for each other and saying "please" and "thank you" consistently. It's a sweet, heartfelt text from a loved one at the most random hour of the day. It's the constant presence of love-driven creativity and art that continues, almost demands, to be heard when the world is brought to its knees by tragedy. Whether it be visual, musical, theatrical, or experimental, art exists to imitate life in some way. In the darkest of times, it shines the brightest because it soothes and heals us.
I occasionally fantasize that I can just solve all of the world's problems myself, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who naively wishes that people would simply stop being cruel to each other. But it is never productive to wallow in depression over the state of the world. It is infinitely better to view the world as a beautiful, flawed place in which your positive presence serves to improve the lives of those around you.
In the midst of a hectic world in which inexplicable things happen daily, it can sometimes be difficult to retain faith in humanity. I have many moments of questioning the world's sanity, but until I stop seeing little kids performing random acts of kindness or friends caring deeply about each other, I will firmly believe that the world is an inherently wonderful place.
