Over the last month, the news has been hit with multiple horrific tragedies. At the beginning of September, I was in Lisbon when the famous Glória Funicular crashed, taking the lives of 16 people. With both locals and tourists commuting daily on the trams, the situation was surreal, and the usually vibrant city went into shock.
The story made headlines globally, whilst friends and family from back home frantically messaged to see if we were okay. Grief washed over the city as people paid their respects. It wasn’t long before the video of the crash had been posted and the disaster was turned into content.
People dissecting the crash behind screens, conspiring on what had happened, accompanied by political commentary. I found it odd and insens tive to those who had only just lost their lives, and their families who were torn apart in an instant. It was only a week later when the video of Charlie Kirk being shot circulated the internet.
Within seconds, social media became a battleground of frenzied politics. The horror was weaponized, used to demonise the left. Whilst simultaneously people shamelessly posted their celebrations, detached comments and disturbingly, dark humour.
Desensitization became a badge of honour, as people contested their gore tolerance. Kirk was known to be a polarising figure, who advocated for ‘free speech’ but also had a lot of views that I personally do not agree with, and I believe many other people share that with me. I even found myself desensitised to the tragedy, detached from any emotional connection to this man.
However, the video was gruesome and horrific, followed by memes within just one scroll. This is where we find ourselves in an era of disconnection. Social media platforms have fundamentally altered how Gen Z process and cope with tragedy.
The immediacy of information means we’re e posed to global suffering constantly, yet the distance of our screens creates emotional numbness. The question is not whether we’re desensitised (we know this already), but rather what we have lost in translation. When horrific tragedies become trending content and we are tallying up engagement, it disconnects us from humanity.
How positive is this for Gen Z?As we slowly dive deeper into the age of technology, we risk forgetting the reality of those on the other side of the screen. There’s still space for these discussions surrounding social and political issues. I think it is important we talk about it and I believe Kirk’s death in particular sparked conversation.
But where is the line drawn between dignity and distraction?