There has been some sort of war or armed conflict or political issue going on since the beginning of time, which is bound to happen in society. However, what happens when an issue gets blown up and turned into entertainment?
Media has made it so people watch the news for enjoyment, not for purpose. Knowing what is going on in the world around us is important, but the way headlines are presented nowadays, it is a conversation starter. We watch the television and then run to our friends to ask "if they heard" about the recent tragedy. "___ people have been killed!" has become a common phrase to further a casual conversation. News stories are just that: stories. People talk amongst themselves for pleasure and interesting conversation, rarely stopping to think about the friends and families who lost a loved one. Watching and discussing violence and greed as a past time has become more and more common, as terrible events are becoming more frequent.
The good news is... oh wait, there is no good news. Ever. Good news doesn't sell. Nobody wants to hear about how great the world is. As many problems as there are, we still have many good things happening. As many bad people there are, there are still people who want to change the world for the better and are working to do that every day. As many terrible events occur, there are still things to be celebrating. We turn on the TV, and we get bombarded with news about the latest shooting. We open up an internet browser and get flooded with headlines about a brutal attack on human rights. We log on to social media and get pestered with the latest update on the most recent bombing. Everyone always talks about how the world is so negative and we need to spread love! How are we supposed to spread happiness when everywhere we look, we get spoon-fed negative information?
Instead of turning on the emotionally-stressful news after work, watch your favorite sitcom and laugh until you cry. Instead of complaining about your day, talk about what went well and how you got through it. Say hello, smile and give compliments to strangers. Spread positivity, understand that there are more amazing people than terrible (even if that's all we seem to see), and know that the world is not completely deteriorating. Martin Luther King Jr. once said,"Those of us who love peace must organize as effectively as the war hawks. As they spread the propaganda of war, we must spread the propaganda of peace."
