Small Doses of Trauma Normalize Horror

Constant exposure to snippets of violence and human suffering through media desensitizes individuals, transforming horrific events into mere content. This gradual absorption of tragedy — likened to a 1% dose of traumatic experiences — diminishes the weight of real violence, which would otherwise leave lasting psychological scars if witnessed in full force. Online interactions, especially in hostile environments, lack the tangible consequences of face-to-face confrontations, allowing for unchecked hostility that can also build over time, leading to further normalization of aggression and insensitivity. The cumulative effect of these fragmented experiences might trail into a dangerous indifference toward suffering, ultimately affecting our mental landscape and societal standards.