LibraryScenariosWhy distant tragedy sometimes feels more manageable than local suffering
Scenario

Why distant tragedy sometimes feels more manageable than local suffering

I feel guilty for crying about the bombing overseas while ignoring the homeless woman who died outside my office building

Mira
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The coach is replying

More people experience this than they realize.

What we've seen

We can sometimes access empathy for faraway pain more easily than nearby suffering because proximity demands action we are not prepared to take.

Ideas that help explain it
Worth thinking about

“Where Are You with Collective grief — mourning public figures and tragedies?”

If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.