I found out that there had been an assassination attempt on Trump from a TikTok, more specifically from a video of someone making a joke saying, “assassins just don’t do it like they used to.” I laughed, turned off my phone and went back to work at the drive through. 

Our generation is very willing to flippantly joke about tragedy. How many times have you seen someone be minorly inconvenienced and say that they are going to kill themselves? I don’t think it is harmful to make light of such situations, I am guilty of doing the same, however, I do believe it is indicative of a larger issue. One of the internet, apathy and desensitization.  

It has always been the case that sensationalized negativity is going to draw a significantly larger amount of attention than positive content. In the last decade, the internet has become a viable source of profit. Attention has become so valuable online content creators and the algorithms that curate them have leaned increasingly into content designed to keep viewers engaged through negative feelings. 

The algorithms on various social media platforms like Tik Tok and Twitter favor the content that gets engagement though likes, comments and shares. More often than not, the things that get the most engagement are those that make people upset. The most tragic events and stories are going to be pushed onto everyone. 

Now that we have unrestricted access to information through the internet and tragedy is what gets clicks, it gives the impression that the world is ending and there is nothing we can do  but doom scroll. That overwhelming barrage of depressing content can lead to a desensitization to violence and create distance between the viewer and the real-world consequences of the things they see online. 

There is a sense of apathy and a disconnect that many in my generation feel as we have watched tragedy after tragedy unfold and have seen no substantial difference each time it happens. The Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, the genocide in Gaza and the plethora of school shootings have all gone on without any meaningful changes. 

There is a feeling of disempowerment when you see injustice in the world and are helpless to stop it. However, there are still real, meaningful ways to improve your communities, it just happens on a small scale. Realistically, one person is not going to change the world, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying.