SOLD: Beautiful Happyzine

Tami Wyness talks about reclaiming her optmism despite following the news on Gaza.

The other day a friend stated she wanted to hear the news because she thought it would be a good idea to know what was going on in the world. We live in a pretty isolated part of New Zealand, and without a radio or television in our home it’s easy to have no idea what’s happening out there (except social media!). So, I streamed the National Radio through my laptop… beep beep beep ‘news at 9’. Three items in we were both feeling a little dejected. Stabbing, murder, broken ceasefire were the top stories and it made me wonder: is this the news?

Why is it that mainstream media focuses so heavily on the negative aspects of what’s happening in the world? Let’s say… I just don’t think it’s exactly a balanced view of what’s going on, and for me it can make me feel a little down. Because of some personal logistics my Happyzine contributions ceased a few weeks back; but now it’s beamingly obvious to me that good news is sorely needed as a counter balance to the bad. Charlotte Squire really has something here: the world needs positive, solutions based media; for a balanced view to help balance the mind and this life.

The war in Gaza has been heavy in the news lately and it’s understandable to feel outrage, overwhelm and helpless (well, that’s just me). It’s a complex, complicated situation that is heartbreaking, particularly because children are caught in the firing line. I think it’s too big to ignore, even on Happyzine. So, what can be done? What can I do? That is a question I find myself thinking; join protest groups, do a peace vigil, write to the leaders of the world, send money to Oxfam or Red Cross? It sometimes seems a little futile, but at least they are actions toward the intention and desire of peace.

Through my research about what I could possibly do about the situation in Gaza, I found ‘dosomething.org’, a website that according to them “makes the world suck less”, they are a youth organisation focused on positive social change and have over 2.5 million members (doing social change is a popular thing to do; and that very fact is heartening!); they’re tackling campaigns that matter to them (poverty, environment, violence etc.). Dosomething suggest educating yourself first before ‘taking sides’ on the conflict by reading a variety of news media. This at the very least can work toward taking the emotional charge out of facebook threads and twitter tweets on the subject. What is the point of so many people far removed from the conflict perpetuating the intensity of the negative emotions of such a complex situation? I’m all for having conversations about what matter to us; but I think Dosomething have a point… try to get a balanced view with an open mind?

And I think that’s what my point is here: endeavouring to create a balance in the news. The news does have the capacity to be good and positive; to inspire us, to connect us and to empower us. Perhaps like being mindful of what we eat and who we spend our time with, being mindful of our news sources could be just as important to our state of well-being; and by proxy the state of our world?

For me, it helps to remember that even though some really suckful things are happening, it isn’t all there is.  I may not be able to single handedly stop the war in Gaza, but what I can do is to try be compassionate and caring to the people in my life and the place that I live.  Accept others, see things from their point of view, soften.  Maybe all we can do is light a candle and be in awe of the flickering of the flame; sometimes in the darkest of times all we can do is hold on to that flicker of hope.  and, well, that’s something.

Tags: peace