By: Emily Osborne
It’s easy to be bogged down after reading the news. Even scanning the latest headlines from any major news source—revealing cases of famine, conflict, corruption, and injustice—is enough to deeply depress any compassionate individual. But what can be done about it? News reports would say that the world’s problems are too big, too scary, too overwhelming. These stories are told and retold around the world, and despite what I watch in Hollywood films, the bad guy appears to be winning in real life. So, you might as well bury your head in the sand and pretend that nothing’s wrong, right?
I’d rather not, so I have a more constructive question to offer: what if there was a different model for telling the news? Instead of getting suckered into the feelings of helplessness and fear that common news stories invoke, what if we felt better about the world after reading the news? What if the news inspired us to do better, to be better people in our daily lives? Is that even possible?
I think so! And what’s encouraging to me is evidence that this is already happening. When I sit down to be informed about what’s going on in the world, my favorite place to start is with a special section of The Christian Science Monitor, titled “People Making a Difference.” Every week, the Monitor profiles an individual or non-profit organization dedicated to serving and blessing humanity. These are not celebrities, but average citizens who are doing extraordinary work in their local communities.
In respect to the Middle East, I recently read a Monitor article called, “After 9/11: A rabbi, pastor, and imam join hands to oppose extremism.” These three religious leaders, known as the “Interfaith Amigos” from Seattle, came together for the purpose of understanding and appreciating one another. Shortly after 9/11, they held meetings on a regular basis and found that many of their notions about Christianity, Judaism, and Islam were simply misconceptions. Each leader has gained a new respect for the other faiths, building trust that helps the collective religious community move beyond the pain of such a devastating event. (Read the full story.)
It’s important to note that this is not an isolated event. Interfaith dialogues have been initiated across the United States and are proving to change the thought of hatred and resentment to one that is hopeful of a peacefully coexistent future.
Another change agent, Mahmoud Jabari, is a 21-year-old Palestinian, who learned to see both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict after attending a summer camp in Maine called Seeds of Peace. He is now committed to eliminating the vicious cycle of hatred between the two ethnic groups by working with youth to develop empathy for “the enemy.” (Learn more)
Events like these are happening across the globe whether we hear about them or not. The Christian Science Monitor is taking a refreshing stand by highlighting the good through these articles. It’s clear that the Monitor isn’t going to run out of philanthropists to write about either. It seems obvious, since we don’t often run into terrorists and villains in our daily lives, that these people comprise a mere minority of the population. Most people are, in fact, honest, trustworthy, and want to help improve the world. In this sense, the happy Hollywood ending is not totally unusual. Of course, we can’t deny that there are serious problems that need to be solved. But the news doesn’t have to make us miserable. We can choose how we respond, whether for better or for worse. I don’t think that looking for this kind of “good” news is just blind optimism or wishful thinking. I believe it is powerfully transforming. The more good that we recognize, the more good that we can expect to experience.
So, now my question for you is this: what kind of news will you be reporting? I hope you’ll join me in contributing to the pool of thought that blesses those around you by telling them the good stories from your day. It’s a small, easy step we can all take to have a big, worldwide impact.