Witnessing Genocide Online, and Coping
Words from Gabor Maté about the trauma we're experiencing vicariously
I recently told a health practitioner that spending a lot of time online may have physical effects, but that it’s keeping me sane.
You have no idea how much it means to me to be able to express my thoughts and feelings, particularly around the genocide in Gaza, and getting feedback from others who are trying to cope with this too. It’s comforting to know I’m not alone in my rage and sorrow, that others are struggling too, and that we can support each other through this nightmare.
Listening to Chris Hedges interviewing Gabor Maté about how we cope with the trauma of witnessing this horror, and being unable to do anything about it, was really comforting for me. I hope it is for you too.
The first piece of advice that Dr. Maté gave about coping was to have others to relate to about it. I have friends offline that I can talk about this with, but we’re all busy and don’t always have time to talk.
For me, Gabor Maté is a voice of not just reason but moral clarity. Listening to him talk is calming for me, and what he says in this video is powerful and validating.
He also discusses the incredible trauma that people on the ground in Gaza are experiencing, especially children who are witnessing things that many of us in the western world wouldn’t even tell our own children about. It’s heartbreaking that children are being murdered, maimed, starved, and having to witness all these atrocities.
As Alon Mizrahi said in his latest post,
…it is not humanity that’s doing this, but a small set of very rotten people, who rely on violence, exploitation, and deceit. Humanity is not committing genocide: it is Israel and its Western backers.
We have to remember that there are more of us, at least among those of us who are aware that this genocide is happening, who care deeply and are doing all we can. We’re not alone in this struggle.
And being in this place of powerlessness is excruciating for us.
But we’re not backing down, and more people are learning about the reality of the genocide in Gaza. Yes, our victories are small, but they’re growing every day.
So thanks to all of you on this journey with me and others like me. I hope this interview gives you some comfort, validation and peace in the moment.
Be well, and stay strong.
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I love the BDS campaign and the effect it’s having on Israel’s economy.
Here's an excellent list of products from Israel: https://boycott.thewitness.news/browse/1
Here's a way to help others not in your bubble to boycott Israel: https://www.cjpme.org/stickies_2024_en
And here's where you can support Palestine by buying a keffiyeh: https://www.hirbawi.ps/
I watched Chris Hedges' interview with Dr. Gabor Maté, too. The other take-away is that we cannot take it upon ourselves individually to save the world, but it is important to feel sorrow, outrage, anger, disgust, whatever emotions tragedies such as Gaza stir up in us rather than blocking or shut off our emotions and, notwithstanding our pain and suffering, to take care of ourselves, as you've pointed out, Diana, in all your posts. It's a difficult balance to maintain. The other interesting thing Dr. Maté said was that people who commit evil deeds have closed their hearts and are victims themselves of unresolved trauma.
Provided you have a properly functioning brain and morals to match - Once you've discovered what's really going on out there it can no longer be unseen / undone - this is when your conscience demands a response which is perfectly natural.
However it rises another question relating to what might be the proper response to fight the evil that has taken over our supposedly democratic institutions since the system is designed so that it cannot be held accountable.