Beyond our comfortable castles

Tonight I watched “Call & Response”, a documentary talking about modern day slavery. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t particularly shocked about any of it. I mean after years of being open to exploring social issues like this, you can only have so many instances of profound disturbance at the depravity we glorious humans are capable of. But it was a chilling reminder of the pain (though I’d imagine this word would scarcely begin to encapsulate what they go through) that this causes the people involved. I emphasize people because through all the statistics that we are bombarded with on a regular basis, I don’t want forget that these numbers are indeed people and that these people are suffering.

Someone in the documentary used the term “paralysis of despair”. That feeling of helplessness in the face of that which is not right in the world. It must be a common feeling though. For what exactly can one person do in the midst of all these atrocities being committed worldwide?

Anyway, I was walking home and the idea of dinner came up. But I wasn’t hungry. How could I be hungry after watching something like that? How could I just stuff my face with whatever knowing that such horrors lurk outside my nice insulated shell. But I know that I will eventually eat dinner tonight (probably after typing this, actually). I know that I will continue with my studies, continue with those things that I enjoy oh so much, continue with the multitude of petty activities that make up the days of my life. And not only me but I would also imagine the vast majority of wealthy society would be likely to continue with this status quo.

To be honest, I don’t know what to make of all of this. Suffering seems to be in great abundance on this pale blue dot. Yet, I ask again, what conquest can a single individual hope to achieve against a behemoth such as this? The beatitudes say that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled”. May that righteousness fill this world and so that we may be saved from ourselves.