The article explores the tension between comfort and the urge to engage with social issues. It narrates a personal moment of inner conflict while observing a protest from a café, highlighting feelings of guilt for staying comfortable while others advocate for justice. This reflects a broader societal struggle with 'compassion fatigue,' where constant exposure to global suffering leads to emotional exhaustion and disengagement despite a desire to care. The article emphasizes that feeling overwhelmed isn't apathy but a response to the enormity of social challenges.
I felt like the worst kind of person. There I was, cozy and caffeinated, while people stood outside in the cold, demanding justice.
Psychologists call this compassion fatigue-the emotional exhaustion that can arise when we're exposed to suffering we feel powerless to change.
This isn't about apathy. It's about the overwhelm of caring, the cognitive dissonance between our comfortable lives and the urgent needs around us.
Studies show that up to 68 percent of people experience compassion fatigue at some point in their caregiving or advocacy roles.
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