Friends,
I wish I had words of brilliance or comfort to offer.
I have none.
My emotional reserves are empty, and my exhaustion knows no bounds. I am broken, and I am dark.
I am not a therapist, nor am I trained in trauma. I am not an expert in geopolitical matters, nor am I interested in decades-old circular arguments.
We experienced a collective evil last weekend. I am not about to enter into asymmetrical discussions because they are stupid and vapid.
I have no real expertise to offer you in this miserable moment, save one.
I have an excellent bullshit detector.
People far more eloquent than I am I will guide you to prayer. People far more knowledgeable than I will direct you to sources on the ground. My only purpose here is to help you filter through the bullshit. Misinformation and disinformation are the twin cancers of this century. I implore you to not get caught up in their vortices.
We live in dangerous times and those dangers are only exacerbated online. Some malevolent actors are preying on our vulnerabilities right now in the hope that they can flood the zone with shit and pit us against one another. I am hoping that my little hints here will guide you through your online grief.
1. My first instruction is to not post anything at all about the crisis. (This is my default right now because I feel so inadequate.) I realize that asking this of many is a fool's errand. Social media can provide a comforting community that aids in healing. I also believe that there are many people doing yeoman's work in providing important context, aid, updates, and human stories. If you must post, for your own sanity and well-being, make certain that the post is your own thoughts or those of someone you know well and trust.
2. Avoid memes and unsourced photographs. There are a lot of those floating around right now. Be careful. Posting a photograph without checking the source is reckless and dangerous.
3. Politicians are people who are suffering just like the rest of us. The difference is that most of them have agendas they wish to advance. Read all of them, left and right, even if you hate their politics. It is the hardest thing to do, but I really believe that most of them are trying their best. (Note: I said most. The caveat here is obvious bad actors. We know who they are without naming them.)
4. Avoid posting in haste. If you see something that sounds weird or off, do some fact-checking. Stop your finger from hitting that send button. If you need help or sources for this, ask questions. Posting out of anger, fear, or helplessness is usually a bad idea.
5. Never post without context. There is a great deal of fear percolating around the world right now, and posting something that will level that fear up without a source or context is simply irresponsible.
6. Canadians are at a disadvantage at the moment due to social media blocking our sharing of news organizations. There are workarounds to this like cutting and pasting. Please make the effort if you want to share a relevant news story.
7. Get your children off of social media. It is a truly miserable place right now and protecting them should be a priority. Talk to them. Be honest with them. Letting them see horror is destructive.
8. Go do something else. Go for a walk. Exercise. Look at pictures of puppies. Read a book. Turn off the computer and the TV. I watched the Mr. Dressup documentary and the hockey game. It helped.
That's it.
That's all that I have to offer. It isn't much but it might give us some needed perspective.
Here is a prayer for peace from my old friend Dan Nichols
הַשְׁכִּיבֵֽנוּ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽנוּ, לְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ שׁוֹמְרֵֽנוּ לְחַיִּים
Grant, O God, that we lie down in peace, and raise us up, our Guardian, to life renewed.
