The sorrows of the world...

I'm addicted to media of all kinds...Internet, radio, TV, DVD, name it and I'm probably plugged in to one type or another. But I don't have an IPod, I hate my cell phone, and I'm fairly sure I won't ever text-message a living soul. Mostly I listen to NPR on headphones as I go about my day...depending on the client, I can even write copy while listening to Fresh Air.

This morning NPR, which usually tries for balance, lost it this morning and dumped pail after pail of horrific news. Horrendous violence in Bagdad, 75% of the ocean is over-fished, Darfur is ankle-deep in blood, our economy has cracks that go all the way to the basement, and the White House's Current Occupant has taken a whole bunch of animals off the Endangered Species List. A couple of times I cried but I kept listening because I refuse to chicken out over current events. But I was also feeling small and utterly useless in the face of all this: the sorrows of the world.

There are people who are passionate and talented when faced with evil and chaos. I have the passion but no talent, although I've tried to do my bit. Frankly, when it comes to the large and ghastly stuff, I don't have much ability, and the little I have gets swamped by my over-sized emotions.

As a writer I do what I can. Purely political or tabloid art of any kind rarely accomplishes much. All the arts work sideways, rather than frontally, they seduce rather than conquer. It takes decades before the impact of a Guernica is really felt. Yet, on my good days, I believe that images and words are humankind's best hope.

Today isn't one of those days.