Your interest in the world's current events?

[nocode]

Hi guys,
I've recently been accused of not really caring about much that goes on in the world, like wars, current events, conflicts, financial crisis, etc.
I've pondered about this and I did come to the conclusion that even though I read a lot and like to know what's going on, I find that I don't spend that much time worrying and being concerned about most of the world's current tragedies. The reason is very simple: my CF already makes me feel down as it is, and it takes so much of my energy (physical and psychologically, that I feel I have little time and energy to truly care about other people's suffering.
Can you relate to this?
Thanks for sharing,
Vera

 

[Anomie]

I hate when people try to talk to me about politics especially the race for a republican candidate. I'm just like, I don't know. What are any of these schmucks gonna do to help my daughter who has CF? Nothing? I figured as much. Not interested then.

 

[Twistofchaos]

Despite ever growing cynicism I'dcall myself an idealist, and the older I get the more I find just everything is crooked in this world. Well I think CF partly helped me reshape my values, come to find what matters for me and so I often find my values are a bit different for example to my peers.
I worry about what goes on in the world to the extent that because of CF I better understand what suffering can be, and then come to see just so much of it everywhere.
Well at some point I came to realise I can not singlehandedly change the world or anyone for that matter. But I cancontrol who I am to some extent, choices I make and stand up for my ideals and dreams where I can instead of making the easy choices.
No, when my days are hard and I have to work hard for my CFwhat happens is my tollerance for trivial and petty crap gets particularly low, of people in my surroundings (which can lead to one being lonely) , of media and the world, but at the same time become more and more angry about all the hypocrisy and real suffering. The trick is to find some sort of positive outlet for it I guess..
PS. Bill Hicks is hero.

 

[imported_Momto2]

I guess I tend to go in the opposite direction. People have helped me out a lot through my life and I do my darndest to care and help out locally a much as I can (ie food drives, donations, walks, scholarships, etc). Globally, we do our best to sponsor some kids in their health care and schooling and support causes which we think will make a difference. Suffering is suffering, and it always plain sucks, no matter who what or why. I try to channel my anger at certain social and economic situations into a specific task I can accomplish (do a bake sale to raise money, or a coat drive for economically challenged kids), so it comes out positive in my mind. Otherwise, the problems of the world would drive me nutso. Some days I succeed, others I dont, and it DOES get depressing at times. At those times I look into the bright little eyes of my two daughters and the world suddenly seems like it has hope.

 

[Printer]

I am a political junkie.

I care alot about "Obama Care".

I care that anyone under 24 can remain on their parents health insurance policy.

I care that, presently anyone under 18 CANNOT be refused health insurance coverage for a pre-existing condition.

I care that in 2014 everyone will be able to get health insurance regardless of any pre-existing conditions.

I care that the REPUBLICANS want to OVERTURN "Obama Care" and VOID all of the above.

I remember that my wife couldn't change jobs because of my pre-existing conditions.

I CARE THAT "OBAMA CARE" NOT BE OVERTURNED

ANOMIE, you had better start paying attention. So should everyone of us.

Bill

 

[mmmtat]

I find politics extremely frustrating, and I do not enjoy watching the news because of it, but my husband is in the military, so it does affect me personally, and I do try to pay attention because it affects both of us.

I understand not caring though, it's too frustrating to care if you don't have to.

 

[Printer]

If you have CF or are related to someone who does "you have to".

Bill

 

[Anomie]

I already know all that stuff about obama-care. The pre-existing conditions thing which is already in effect played a big part in my daughter's diagnosis since a mis-placed form caused her to not have health insurance at that time and we were forced to apply for medicaid but she will need to be re-instated on private insurance next year. I also know that obama care will be thrown out if a republican is elected to office and I will of course be voting for Obama. I just hate when republicans like my dad and my brother try to fill me in on all the little trivial stuff about each candidate while at the same time telling me that I should vote for Obama because of the health care plan. I just tell them that they should be voting for Obama too since my daughter is their neice and granddaughter and they should care more about her health care than their stupid tax breaks or the war or whatever! Read the post more carefully next time Bill. I said I'm not interested much in politics that don't relate to my daughters CF.

 

[azdesertrat]

I care alot.
I think it's a real shame that after my Dad had to fight communism by taking communist bullets in hot LZ's in Vietnam, I now have to fight Marxism in my own country.
It bothers me alot that the current bunch of politicians have made it legal for American citizens to be detained indefinately.
I'm very alarmed that the Constitution is being used as toilet paper by most politicans today.
It doesn't seem to matter; this trend seems to be common at the city, county, state & national level.

 

[azdesertrat]

Oh yea, almost forgot...
I'm VERY concerned that the Fed is spending way more money than they take in.
I'm concerned that the word TRILLION is so casually tossed about in DC.
I'm concerned that we are so deeply in debt to a nation that really doesn't like us, China.
I'm concerned that gas prices have increased by 100% since Jan. of '09.
Since my Wife's job depends on tourism she'll probably be out of a job soon.
Yea, I'm VERY concerned with current events.
I'm also very concerned that our government is sending our young men & women into battle and refuses to give them combat pay for every day in the combat zone; no, they only want to pay for a day they're actually being shot at.
It also makes me mad that I have to raise money to buy them protective gear that the govenment should be replacing that gear in a more timely fashion.
Yes, I'm very concerned.

 

[Anomie]

I don't think this country is turning marxist. If you look at real communist countries like North Korea where people aren't even allowed to own cell phones or access the internet then I think we still have a lot of freedoms.

 

[azdesertrat]

I still believe that this is the best country on Planet Earth.
We have freedoms here that mnay on Earth will never have the good fortune to experience.
Freedom is fragile; it is something that has to be protected.
We all are indebted to the many who fought & died for these freedoms.
One way to honor them is to be ever-vigilant.
When you see politicians making a power grab you have to call them on it.
If we don't do this, our freedoms will be taken from us.
I thank God every day for the privilege of being born in the United States.
I probably would not be alive to express this had I been born somewhere else.

 

[Anomie]

Wow! When you put it so elegantly like that I truly see where you are coming from. I guess as a democracy, government is all of our responsibility and if politicians make bad decisions or become corrupted by power then we all have to suffer the consequences. I'll try to do a better job of paying attention to politics even if it seems like a lot to take in some times.
Its just that my daughter was so sick at the time of her diagnosis that I kind of stopped caring about anything at that point. I had been following football closely up until then but now I couldn't even tell you who won the superbowl this year. She has gained a lot of ground back since getting the proper treatments and the hyperventilating has finally ceased. I'm just now starting to feel like I may be able to go back into the world and live again now.

 

[azdesertrat]

I'm very happy to know your daughter is getting so much better.
Believe me, we understand being totally wrapped up in the whole 'CF Thing'.
My Wife practically lived at the hospital with me when I was at my worst. Through it all, she managed to keep up with her job(s) and all that was going on in the world.
I understand that people who have special needs must be accomodated.
My problem is when I see bodily able people who won't get off their dead ass and contribute.
Even though I wasn't blessed with a decent body I still got up every day & did a very strenuous job for 23 years. I paid alot of money into 'The System'.
My tax status was 'single & none' my entire career.
As it stands, if the politicians keep spending like they have this Nation will be beyond the point of no return.
Right now, with trillion dollar deficits being the norm, we ARE ALREADY BANKRUPT! When your output exceeds your intake than you are BROKE!
If the Fed keeps printing money with nothing to back it up, we will see sky-high inflation.
The snake is fixin' to eat it's tail.

 

[Incomudrox]

 

[jamoncita]

i absolutely DO care about what's going on in the world. i understand it can feel hopeless, particularly whilst struggling with cf, but i choose not to dwell on my own personal suffering because it makes life miserable and unbearable. if i can focus my energies and hopes into the outside world, i can enjoy some sense of normalcy.

 

[jessykt]

I find that the more I concentrate on others and how I may help them, the better I do mentally, emotionally, and physically. There is always someone who is worse off than I am, and so I have to find out how I can help them.

I started a business and a blog: http://whocaresllc.blogspot.com/

It's slow going as we all know how much time CF does require of us. I love learning about what's going on in the world and it gives me something bigger than myself to be a part of.

 

[65rosessamurai]

I find it difficult to really be able to keep up with current events in the world, and none of it really relates to CF, unless its in the CF community for some country finding new things in research.

I did realize that when I was younger and legal to vote, I never really cared much about politics. It took me to the realization when I worked in a country, paid the same taxes as the citizens, yet had no voting rights that I decided it was best to be aware of such things.

So, advice to everyone is to at least excercise your freedom of voting and do proper research when it comes time to select your "leaders". Many "leaders" don't seem to be on the same level as the common citizen, but rather an agenda to feed their own desires. Educated voting can filter out these kind of "leaders", so take clout in America and God Bless the United States!

 

[nmw0615]

I don't find it difficult to keep up with current events. What I find difficult is putting up with how much BS is spewed on a daily basis. I view the world differently than a lot of people, because of my CF. I don't worry about things I have zero control over and I have a very low tolerance for anything political.

I know what's going on in the world, but when it comes to the political environment as of late, I can only listen to so much before I want to scream at all parties involved.

 

[Solo]

I actually like to keep up on world events; I like to know what's going on, but I make sure to get most of my news from the internet, as you can't trust the hate-America media these days.

But this world is really going down the toilet and fast. If we don't do something and soon, the next generation of children will be born as slaves. Don't say it can't happen, they are already in debt before they are born!

And things like this really get me upset, but politics is kinda like a car wreck, no matter what, I have to see what's going on!