Being desensitised is no small matter

A conversation is special. A good conversation picks your brain, generates ideas and can even begin a healing process.

Be a journalist and go for reporting to explore minds. And you wouldn’t be disappointed. A conversation is like having a good karak tea or an aromatic coffee. You would want to go on but you know you have to take the last sip.

If holding a conversation is an art, then starting one is the beginning of a beautiful process. The cream of course is knowing when and how to conclude. Most importantly on what note you end it on.

The beginning of everything is auspicious - a new day, a new idea, a new life, a new hope and so on. But we know from life’s experience that nothing in life is permanent no matter how hard we wish. The rule of nature is that an end gives a space for a new beginning. The emotional beings that we are, we fail to see the beauty in the transitions. We do not realise that an end is an opportunity to be embraced.

Once upon a time, one had to meet to greet. And long before the post office, the pigeons carried the messages. Being so gentle they hardly minded, until we thought of telegrams, then letters and emails. Pigeons have been waiting around, and we have moved on to mobile phones and social media messages. We think of communicating stills, thankfully.

If one sentence would have conveyed a personal message in the days of the pigeons, we now want to share details personally and publicly.

The WhatsApp might have changed its format of sharing to five numbers at a time, but what we share is still in the hands of the sender.

Since the last seven months or so the social media has crossed the bar when it comes to graphic content. Just a few years ago, studying media meant being educated on what can be shown on television and pictures that could be published in newspapers and magazines without hurting readers and viewers sentiments. It also meant governments had a say in the policies of what could be graphic content. However, with social media moving beyond borders the content is most of the time in the hands of the individual who is the owner of his or her content which he thinks is worthy of sharing. When that content could be sensitive, it could also mean more viewership.

My friend said: “I have been desensitised from what I have been seeing in the last few months.”

But that is not okay.

Maybe there could be a time where me might need a community counselling if ever it is there. Violent images do have an impact on the mind. The problem is not just that the videos and images exist there in the public domain. They are often shared personally never knowing the capacity of the person who receives the video on their personal mobile number and what if their children happen to see the video.

Violence is not okay for any age group.

We used to be bothered about violence in cartoons, movies and video games. They were made up and designed, but now we are talking about real life actions and words.

The impact of this can only be truly known and understood in the years to come.

Is it alright to watch sufferings and what does it trigger in the minds of the young? Is it okay to express violence?

Psycholog.com states, ”Research has shown that violent movies have a negative impact on individuals' minds irrespective of their age. It psychologically impacts if they are adults or children. This effect is more pronounced in adolescents and children as they are in a stage of building up their morals and values.”

Inquirer.com points out, “ Some studies indicate that viewing aggression activates regions of the brain responsible for regulating emotions, including aggression. Several studies, in fact, have linked viewing violence with an increased risk for aggression, anger, and failing to understand the suffering of others.”

So how about war images?

The article on belongly points out that clinical studies have shown that prolonged exposure to violent images can trigger symptoms similar to those experienced by individuals directly involved in war, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

The article titled 'Vicarious Trauma through Media Exposure', goes on to explain that from a clinical perspective, it’s essential to understand the profound impact that witnessing and participating in war can have on mental health. In this blog post, they delved into the psychological repercussions of war exposure and engagement and explore ways to support individuals affected by it.

So we are comfortable where we are watching the videos with indifference and sharing to create sympathy but not really aware the kind of impact the video can have on our friends and the members of the groups on our mobile phone. Imagine of a situation where individuals and communities would have to be re-sensitised?

Experts say while desensitising could be a quick process, re-sensitization is a slow process because removing a fear is a difficult and a lengthy process.

Trust after all is also an emotion.

The scar that we are seeing in the world today might take forever to heal.

That is the power of visual images and videos. A power we must comprehend.