“Whenever disturbing news is delivered to you, bear in mind that no news can ever be relevant to your reasoned choice. Can anyone break news to you that your assumptions or desires are wrong? No way! But they can tell you someone died — even so, what is that to you?”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 3.18.1-2
July 24, 2021 7:00 AM
We consistently hear about horrible news around the world. We might emote sympathy for a short moment and then move on. Is our sympathy sincere?
Unless we know of someone directly affected or plan to take action, our sympathy can be insincere.
Conclusion
If we can act upon the disturbing news, we should begin doing so. If not, we should not let our emoting linger. We need to get back to our duties.