I read an article recently which described the term ‘hypernormalization’ as the feeling that everything around us is not right somehow, but we keep going through our daily routines as if all is right with the world.

In other words: we instinctively know we’re in a hand basket heading to Hell, but instead of figuring out a way to either brake our descent or get out of the basket, we carry on by ignoring the increasing heat and cramped accommodations. 

Though we may not be directly affected by natural or man-made disasters, we are inundated by them via our media of choice to the point where what, at one time, is seen as horrific, such as the California fires, is now a media moment, soon to be forgotten when the next headline vies for our attention. Meanwhile, little if anything is done to address the overriding situations and underlying causes because, well, shit happens, and we can expect shit to continue to happen. So, unless there’s a fire in our backyards, or a blizzard-dumped snow pile in our driveways, or cold-busted pipes in our basements, we  glance up from our phones and computers long enough to shake our heads in recognition of what others are dealing with, then doom-scroll to the next disastrous headline.

And we wonder why we feel discordant, out of sorts, deep in our feels while the cause of our blues seems to have escaped us. 

Hypernormalization.

Reading the news is like reading a script for an upcoming disaster movie. (Except Hollywood can’t produce it because it got toasted too!) Watching the news can be a recipe for engendering suicidal thoughts. People who believe such things see these catastrophes as signs declaring that, “The End is Nigh!!”

Well, maybe.

Or maybe it’s Mother Nature letting us know who really is in charge. Or maybe all of this has happened before, but the toll on human lives and our endeavors were much less when there were fewer of us. And, of course, all of it is sensationalized to the extreme by whatever media you choose so that a bad situation appears to be far worse than it is and right around the corner.

Don’t get me wrong, the Cali-fires, wayward blizzards, and hurricanes, and rollercoaster temperatures are all tragic and newsworthy, but the populace not directly affected by them are badgered by them in excruciating detail. It’s as if the media wants us to believe that, for instance, the fires in L.A. are so much more tragic because a favorite movie star’s home burned to the ground.

Yes, I know that we need to know what’s going on and where, but there is such a thing as information overload, and this winter, I think many of us who are not directly affected by a disaster are suffering from it. And thanks to our innate ability to get used to just about anything, our sensitivity to disasters, in general, has diminished. And with that diminished sensitivity, we tend to accept it while believing there’s little to be done to fix the problems we face, and we move on.

A friend of mine recently asked me to talk her off a virtual cliff as the news she’d been watching was so overwhelming that she felt lost and anxious. ( Actually, it wasn’t just the weather catastrophes that had her on edge, but I won’t go there, and these are my words, not hers.) To my mind, this is a normal human response. We should be concerned about the disastrous events in our world, and yes, we can and will be overwhelmed by them. 

I responded by trying to make light of it, stating that I was following the ostrich’s approach to a bad situation by burying my head in virtual sand. I refused to consume the news in any form for a day or two and advised her to do the same, and to seek out anything and anyone that could put a more positive spin on the world. 

(BTW: Ostriches don’t actually hide their heads in the sand when faced with danger. A full-grown ostrich can run away from danger at speeds of up to 70km/h (about 43 mph) and can defend themselves with large claw-like talons and powerful legs.

I saw a group of wild ostriches run up a mountainside while I was in Namibia, and I was left in awe at how fast the group ascended, even the little ones. I was also left wondering: since ostriches are land-bound birds, are a group of them called a flock or a herd?) 

I wasn’t trying to make little of her distress or appear flippant in light of her anxiety, but there was actually some truth in what I offered her. Often, when I’m feeling wired or merely out of sorts, I will find something that will cheer me up or at least divert my attention from the current calamity. For instance, I will watch Looney Tunes and Popeye cartoons. I also dabble in video production, writing, and thinking about my next major move.

These distractions seldom fail to get my mind off the negatives, at least for a moment, and often that’s all I need to do an emotional level set. I can then focus on what, if anything, I can do about the problem at hand.

(You can find my latest video releases here: https://www.youtube.com/@vernseward5323)

No, I’m not suggesting that those folks in the midst of a disaster can find solace in watching Roadrunner outsmart Wiley Coyote or to wait for Popeye to down a can of spinach to open a can of whip-ass on Brutus. What I am saying is that those of us for whom the minute-by-minute stream of wreck, ruin, and heartbreak is affecting our well-being or numbing us to the point where we don’t feel the way we should about the ruinations of others, can and should give ourselves a break and find something more positive for our brains to ingest, at least for a little while. Hit the reset button on our feelings so that we can focus on solutions.

Otherwise, we’ll just keep dappling away the sweat caused by the increasing heat while marveling at how well the hand basket we’re in can handle the weight of the crowd.

(A group of ostriches is called a herd.)

Stay tuned.

Vern