Considering Suffering

I read an article today that mentioned how Canadians are reportedly optimistic (relative to other countries polled) regarding their financial status in the future, despite the currently grim economic situation. When compared on a global scale, Canadians were amongst the least worried to lose their jobs, and most optimistic that this economic turmoil will be over sooner (as little as two years) than later. This could be that our southern neighbour, the U.S. seems to be sinking in financial hardships and blown over with economic despair; meanwhile, in Canada it seems we just haven't been facing the same reailty. As vice-president of Environics research, Donna Dasko stated, "We're hearing stories daily about the collapse of the world economy and the terrible situation south of the border, so Canadians have naturally responded with alarm. But we're impacted more by what we hear, not by our actual situation"

This disconnected and sensationalized impact seems to be a common theme in desparity, be it economic, social or otherwise. We are bombarded with war, death, poverty and the like through media and have become desensitized to really connecting and feeling anything about it. In a way, how are we able to really feel the reality of each situation and cope? Lifeboat ethics comes into play, and when someone is overwhelmed with the magnitude of destitution they save themselves from drowning with the rest by shutting it out and climbing aboard the boat of sweet ignorance.

So where do we find a balance? I do this constantly myself, and am not trying to harp on everyone who has turned their cheek or I would be hypocritical. It is a coping mechanism we all use to stay afloat. But I feel like their is more to this effort.

The other day at a seminar for Beyond Borders we were told supper would be provided. Eager to eat a meal we didn't have to make, our leader, Lisa, then informed us that we would be served the average meal of people around the world. This consisted of beans and rice, flavoured with lemon juice if you so wished. No one complained about it, and we all tried to enjoy it, but it was certainly unexpected and the idea of going home to eat a feast of whatever I could find in my fridge seemed more appetizing. But that was just it. The average person around the world could not just go home to their fridge full of food and ignore the painstaking hunger or the lack of substance which this meal provided.

Through this simple demonstration, each of us were forced to really consider and connect to another person's troubles. To me, this was more profound than reading a story in the paper, or watching it on television and it stuck with me a lot longer. While we can't use this example for every tragedy we come across, I think it is important to really embrace the reality of suffering in other's people's lives. Freire considered solidarity to be built only when the oppressors truly abandon their predispositions toward the objectification of humanity. Thus, taking time to recognize the reality of suffering serves as a reminder to rekindle our efforts toward building solidarity and influencing change.