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Out of Outrage


It may sound bad, but I'm all out of outrage.

Perhaps that's putting it too strongly, but the fact of the matter is, I feel inundated, daily, with news, headlines, Facebook updates and e-mails that are meant to get me riled-up and ready to fight (figuratively). Honestly, I feel like there's too much of it and, ironically, it's making me want to tune-out.

Those who know me know that I'm somewhat politically involved. I am a Democrat. I've been elected to local office before, am a precinct committee person, and serve as an office for the local chapter of Young Democrats. I donate to candidates and causes that are important to me. I have, alas, managed to get onto a bushel load of mailing lists.

And it's all becoming a bit much.

Being politically and socially aware is a good thing, yes, but can it burn you out, or desensitize you? I wonder. Honestly, I simply can't become outraged every time a company builds a pipeline, or a politician does something questionable, or a person is possibly discriminated against. The blood pressure alone would be fatal.

I do what I can. I stay involved at a local level. Being civic-minded is a virtue I strive for. It's important. But I can't be everywhere at once, nor can my outrage. No one's can. I'm going to do what I can to help make this world a bit better, but I can't be outraged at everything anymore. Sometimes, one wonders if it does more harm than good.


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