Panic In The Streets

There’s something in the air. More specifically, there’s something unsettling about humanity. At some point, the world transformed into a different place. We could blame it on COVID-19, but I believe this evolution was a long time coming. I sense that people are living on edge, and there’s a layer of stress that seems to hang like a fog around us. The air we breathe feels a bit stale.

I’m not one to measure society’s well-being by outward expressions of happiness since happiness is fleeting—ultimately just a momentary emotion. What I do observe is frustration building within us. We are losing the ability to embrace the long game of life. Though we are more connected than ever, we are inundated with a near-constant stream of fear and panic. We once thought the 24-hour news cycle transformed our lives; now, the minute-by-minute news updates are imprisoning our minds.

Life was different when we had to sit in front of a television to get the news or read the morning paper. In those days, life moved at a slower pace. People digested news at a more leisurely rate, and we were better for it. “Breaking news” used to be reserved for significant events; now, it occurs in real-time, every moment.

Tribalism has become the new normal, making it difficult to live in the center. Algorithms feed us content we want to see, tailored to our habits and beliefs. As a result, people are beginning to harbor animosity toward those with differing viewpoints. Perhaps those who have existed outside of this matrix can break free from it. However, generations who have never known life apart from this algorithmic trap may be doomed.

Most of us belong to the powerless masses. Those who hold power—politicians, big businesses, and technology giants—are the true decision-makers in our world. In moments of panic, while the world feels like it’s crumbling, people lash out and blame one another. Supporters of opposing businesses or political movements are often deemed evil, fostering pervasive distrust among us.

We are being divided at every turn, and it’s not healthy. Am I the only one who sees and feels it? I know I’m not. In my daily interactions with people from all walks of life, I sense an underlying tension. It’s as if everyone is holding their breath, uncertain about what’s next. When have we ever truly known what was coming?

Perhaps there’s always been an underlying optimism in this country—a belief that we were moving forward, building something meaningful. Now, that sentiment seems to have shifted to an overwhelming dread that everything is about to fall apart. We open our phones, anxiously awaiting notifications that the life we once knew is over, only to be met with a sense of impending doom.

I know frustration, hatred, and distrust won’t solve anything. In truth, I'm not trying to fix anything; I’m just trying to survive each day and savor the moment. What else do we have? I would like to believe that this experiment we call life can still hold beauty and meaning, even amid the chaos.