This article is an opinion piece whose contents represent the standpoint of its author and not UPF Lund or The Perspective’s editorial board.
In the 21st century’s fast-paced digital environment, we are continuously surrounded by media and news that provide unprecedented global connections. Social media platforms and 24-hour news cycles enable instant access to world events, revolutionizing how we consume information and raising awareness of the numerous difficulties people confront worldwide. We may participate in remote conflicts, such as natural catastrophes or humanitarian crises, thanks to this instant contact, which fosters solidarity and a sense of communal awareness. But are we inadvertently training ourselves to ignore human pain as we scroll through unending feeds of hopelessness—pictures of disaster and agony that occupy our screens?
The ease of obtaining such information might paradoxically dull our emotional reactions, making it difficult to distinguish between feeling educated and emotionally overwhelmed by the constant stream of upsetting news. This comparison between exposure and desensitization brings up an important point: Is continuous exposure, which is meant to promote empathy and compassion, ultimately harmful to our capacity for empathy?
Desensitization is defined as the process of causing someone to experience something—usually an emotion or pain—less intensely than before. This suggests that, at some point, we did feel these emotions deeply. However, our generation’s pervasive exposure to distressing events has rendered them ‘normal’ in our psyche, leading to diminished reactions. A study on desensitization to media violence could explain this phenomenon by stating that it involves a decrease in initial arousal responses to violent stimuli, ultimately altering an individual’s “present internal state.” As we repeatedly encounter such stimuli, our emotional engagement may wane, impacting our responses to real-world suffering.
Desensitization manifests in various forms, and it could be argued that this concept applies to any prolonged conflict involving violence. A notable contemporary example could be the diminishing public response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On December 1st, 2023, the president of the Lebanese Psychiatric Society, Joseph El Khoury, stated, “As weeks go by, many are experiencing compassion fatigue and gradually stop discussing or mentioning Gaza in their daily lives.”
Gaza is not the first conflict of the social media era, but it has emerged at a critical time when social media has become a primary news source for many. A key contributor to mass media coverage since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, 2023, is Motaz Azaiza, who had a small following before the war. Before Motaz and his family evacuated Gaza, his images and videos—portraying people dragging victims out of damaged houses and a strike on the oldest church in Gaza—allowed him to draw more than 18 million followers on Instagram. While Motaz remained in Gaza, he conducted live streams on Instagram, providing his viewers with an immediate glimpse into the suffering experienced there. From October 2023 to January 2024, he continuously documented the devastating impact of the conflict, sharing videos and images of bombed areas, displaced populations, and the humanitarian disaster unfolding in the Gaza Strip.
The apparent dulling of public response to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis exemplifies what researchers have long identified as “compassion fatigue”—a documented phenomenon where prolonged exposure to others’ suffering leads to a diminished emotional response. One clinical psychologist, Dr. Rebecca Sachs, explains that compassion fatigue can lead to exhaustion, irritability, and difficulty continuing to engage with empathy. According to Dr. Charles Figley, the Kurzweg Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University in New Orleans, compassion fatigue can also be viewed as “secondary trauma,” meaning that you are traumatized even though you may not be the one directly experiencing the event.
This creates an issue for Gaza. According to political psychologist Ramzi Abou Ismail, people may become less involved with or supportive of humanitarian efforts due to desensitization. This could reduce international awareness and support for those in need and lessen pressure on political leaders to pursue peace or offer relief.
Compassion fatigue is not merely a personal struggle; it significantly undermines activism and collective responsibility. This raises the critical question: how can we counteract this trend? How can we effectively mitigate desensitization in our hyper-connected world, particularly given social media’s potent role in raising awareness? While this article does not necessarily aim to provide answers or solutions, since this subject is complex, it is interesting to think about these questions.
Dr. Charles Figley emphasizes the importance of self-care and emotional resilience to sustain engagement in social justice efforts. By managing difficult emotions and proactively rebuilding our emotional reserves, we can continue to advocate effectively for human rights and work towards a more just world.
By Sofia El-Zein
March 28, 2025
