#we are going to overlook the things we could've helped with in the meantime

[trans-cuchulainn]

I think people watch those things as punishment because they don't have the means, time, extra money, etc, to do anything meaningful to help. So at least they can acknowledge and bear witness to the horror, even if they're not able to actually help.

right but like. "at least they can do this" makes it sound like doing that is actually materially useful, and i'm not convinced it is. i think in many cases it is only increasing the number of people suffering in the world. i agree that people are doing it because they feel powerless in other regards but in the majority of cases i think it's harming more than helping

#wasn't supposed to be continuing to engage with this topic on this blog #muted the post for a reason #please send this ask in irish to my irish-language sideblog so i can respond to it without breaking my no-discourse-in-english rules thanks #my feeling is that many of us are powerless to intervene in major world events and that feels extremely shitty #but there are very often problems closer to home that we CAN help with #and they might be smaller problems and therefore they don't feel like we're Making A Difference #but for the people who are helped by a small everyday action they are important #and that is all part of putting good into the world. and we are not powerless there #but if all of our energies and emotions are focused on the situations we cannot change/help with #we are going to overlook the things we could've helped with in the meantime #and if we are filling our brains with despair and suffering and misery #we are not going to think 'how can i put good into my local community today' #we are going to think 'god. everything is terrible and i can do nothing to help' #and that is neither useful nor sustainable #answered #anonymous