2 ms·
> Every headline that right now seems like a "sad story" - a parent losing a child, a child losing a parent, > kids in cages, a daughter and father who are est
by bolasanibk 6y ago
> Every headline that right now seems like a "sad story" - a parent losing a child, a child losing a parent,
> kids in cages, a daughter and father who are estranged, etc -- becomes an absolutely wrenching sadness if
> you even FLIRT with the idea of "what if that happened to me/my child"? You develop sensitivities that you
> are surprised at. You realize you have inherited an impossible and awesome responsibility of providing for,
> protecting, loving little blank slates of humanity... in a chaotic and dangerous world.
This was something I was not prepared for when I had my son. I cannot watch media or news stories where kids suffer or get hurt.
- corry 6y agoAgreed 100%. Occasionally my wife and I will be watching something that features some violence or threat to children and we just look at each other like "why are we voluntarily watching this and vicariously feeling these things?" and shut it off. Clearly people get desensitized to it, both as viewers and as writers. Christopher Nolan, for instance, is a parent but all of his movies have tough child dynamics (e.g. Inception and Leo's character trying to see his kids again). Maybe by writing stories like that you can exorcise the demon a bit?