The news has become a firehose.
It’s not a gentle stream. It’s a constant, full-on flow of information that can be daunting.
We’ve got war, campus issues, rising antisemitism, questions about democracy, the climate, AI, hostages still held, and more. Our apps and TVs can fill with headlines that feel urgent and soul-crushing. As Jews, we are wired to care, but we also want to just turn it all off.
There is a tension here that I think many of us are feeling, even if we don’t have a name for it. Maybe it should be named Firehose Avoidance. Maybe it’s Firehose Helplessness.
There is a pull between our thirst for startling news and our very real human need to step back for our own mental health. It’s a tug-of-war between reading every update and pretending nothing matters, between staying informed and staying grounded in day-to-day life.
We want to act, but what can we do about so much all at once?
The Jewish tradition offers a path. The rabbis taught: “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Repair the world, we are told – do tikkun olam.
We are a tradition of action. We’re not needed to monitor every drop from the firehose. We’re needed by the world around us, in the ways that each of us can best help.
For me, it can mean mentoring a journalism intern — helping introduce another young adult to a field that can make a difference. Not long ago, I brought together my first journalism hire from 18 years ago and a current intern for lunch, hoping to spark a connection from generation to generation. To me, it felt like just a bit more goodness in the world.
What might our tradition of action mean for you? Let’s all do something. That might mean showing up for someone. Donating to a cause that aligns with your values. Writing a letter. Volunteering. Voting. Calling out injustice. Teaching our youth. Living with integrity.
My proposition is this: We don’t need to take on everything, but we do need to take on something. The antidote to helplessness is action. The best way to manage the turbulence isn’t its absorption, but to become a source of decent calm within it. Be the chesed, the loving kindness, through action.
You are not required to win the depressing knowledge contest. Honestly, it won’t accomplish much.
The world isn’t waiting for us to know every troubling thing, all the bits of anxiety-inducing factoids that can be known.
It’s waiting for us to go and do.
Rob Golub is editor of the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle.
Loading ...