Compassion= sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others
Fatigue= extreme tiredness, typically resulting from mental or physcial exertion or illness
Wikipedia says of "Compassion Fatigue" :
Compassion fatigue is a term that refers to a gradual lessening of compassion over time. Compassion fatigue may occur when, due to the media saturation of stories and images of people who are suffering (e.g. images of starving children in Africa, or extended war reporting) people develop a resistance to these images or stories. As the impact of these messages lessens, their willingness to give to causes reduces.
I find this term ridiculous. Please listen to my view, but I would love to hear yours also!
Let me give an example of such an instance wherein this term might be used.
A church (full of people who claim to follow a steadfastly compassionate God) is hosting a
fundraiser/ awarness event to aid children who have watched their families and friends face murder, rape, torture, and starvation. The fundraiser will, of course, include entertainment (for it is taking place amongst Americans), but will also include times of prayer and information sharing as to the desperation of the receivers of these resources and prayers.
One person might warn another who is heavily invested in this fundraiser/ awareness event:
" Don't get your hopes up about people attending and donating. There is much
compassion fatigue in our community because of the many images, stories,
and causes we have already heard about and given to."
The concept of "compassion fatigue" makes sense to me, but this term has got to go.
We would like to think that because we give so much of our emtion, our sympathy, our thoughts, and our money to people in need, that we have grown exhausted. We have run the marathon but need years to recover from the race. Jesus, Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther Kind Jr and others like them- well they certainly deserve some gatorade and a stretcher (though it must be noted that these people were compassionate unto their DEATH!!!).
BUT US? The average greedy filthy rich (which we are if you compare us to the world) American who's biggest problem is the fact that the Sunday football game interferes with church (or I suppose I should say it is the worship that interferes with the football?)
Im going to go out on a limb here and say it is not compassion fatigue we are facing.
It is the very fact that we do not learn, practice, or know true empathy, generosity,
hospitality, suffering or sacrifice that is our problem. We do not have compassion fatigue-
we simply lack COMPASSION itself!
We can no longer stand the images we see on the TV, internet, or newspapers of people in suffering because of the guilt we feel over standing aside as others die because we hoard the earth's resources. We protect our families, our country, our food, our in-home temperature, our national security, our jobs, our retirement, our RIGHTS, but have we really ventured to the point of FATIGUE in helping others?! We feel ill. We feel drained. We are burnt out. However, it is not because we have given SO MUCH, but because we have given SO LITTLE.
We work so hard for OURSELVES. We pray so diligently for OUR needs. We have so much pity on OUR sufferings.
I suggest, that if you are feeling this sort of fatigue that it is time to stop . It is time to stop giving, working, and thinking over your issues. Time to stop wallowing in your emotions.
And when you happen to look into the eyes of a suffering child on TV and feel bad- hold onto that feeling! Do not let it go. Do not change the channel. WHY? Because you have found it- that feeling is COMPASSION! To look into another's eyes and feel their suffering so deeply that you must spill forth love onto them.
And perhaps you will give to a sham. Maybe your money will go to waste. (Both of these are highly unlikely). At least, though, you have not surpressed compassion. At least you have not ignored those who are being exploited for money. At least you have recognized generosity in giving. At least it hurt to take money out of your own wallet and found a bit of suffering for your loss- that your compassion might grow for the loss of others.
Where your treasure is- in the compassion you have felt for another person, there your heart will rest.
At least call your fatigue what it is : selfishness, laziness, anxiousness, ridiculousness. We all feel this type of fatigue, we are human. But there is One who can plant great compassion in our hearts so that it will not run out. So that you will want to give until your life has been offered.
As for this "compassion fatigue", some call it a euphemism. As a realist, I call it a crock!
7 comments:
Yes! You are so right. You nailed it here.
Dealing with the hard emotions is so crucial. It is the entry way into compassion.
You are a truth speaker
Eveage Cleavage!
I love reading your blog! Haven't read it in a while but I very much enjoyed reading it today. I agree with the egocentrisms in this country. I do think America does tend to think of themselves and how America is the best country in the whole world. I do sometimes hear people say that they think america helps out too much. I am confused about America helping out in other countries. I know there are people in Iraq that agree with the US military being in their country trying to establish a democratic government but is there some selfishness going on there? With Fidel stepping down, the US sees a window opening up for them to come into Cuba and place once again this democratic government. But why???
Eve I want to read your thoughts on this presidential race. Can you write on a blog on that soon???
Miss you!!!
Christina
Hmmmm-
It's easy to overthink things dear Eve - beware of Maya. Self-righteous indignation can eat you alive too, ya know.
As Howard Roark said in Ayn Rands "The Fountainhead"
"We are drowning in a sea of self-sacrifice". Now I am not that radical an Objectivist, but I do see the point - careful!
russell (Darth Wagner)
I think you're right on. I read the Wikipedia article you referenced (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue) and wasn't surprised to see a connection to "secondary trauma." From my short time in social work, secondary trauma is essentially the mental health effects felt by caregivers and social workers and other professionals working with traumatized people over a period of time. In these people, it's possible to become de-sensitized to hearing and witnessing awful events. What used to evoke compassion -- or any sort of passion - doesn't have the same stirring effect anymore. But not emoting in the same way doesn't mean that the new and equally terrible cases don't still have an effect -- as time goes by, the caregiver starts to show other mental health effects, even depression, mood swings, etc etc.
What you're blog points out is that some people want to expand this idea of secondary trauma - or its euphemism "compassion fatigue" -- to people who simply witness the trauma through television, news media, and water-cooler talk. Though I suppose its possible, it certainly seems unlikely that a few commercials and news stories have the same effect. Rather, like you said, the actual problem is that there was compassion lacking in the first place. Once the guilt or interest or shock subsides, so does the attention-span, the money, and the time.
Rather than face the problem at hand, we claim a break because of "burn out" or, you're favorite, "compassion fatigue. After all, it's nice to think that this is natural and shift away the responsibility and blame elsewhere. It's also crap.
Nice work.
hey there Eve! i enjoyed my virgin experience of reading your blog. Very cool and passionate expression of a real problem in our world/churches. I also see merit in Justin's comment. When I am working too hard or resting too little, the first thing to go are my ears. I just can't hear what people are telling me, even when I really want to reach out to them. Improper self-care makes me a crappy pastor at times. Although people's emotions (as a product of bodily processes) can get fatigued (when the body or mind get too tired), I wouldn't align that with the Wiki argument that this emotional fatigue has anything to do with seeing too many tv images.
I think you nailed this one Eve, with verve and power. I wouldn't give much weight to the guy who said don't take such a strong stand. You just be a strong as you are. God made you so tough and kind and wonderful. Just be you.
it wasn't til yesterday that i had even heard of compassion fatigue when a friend mentioned it to me. he asked me if i had enjoyed my time in ethiopia (where i'[m currently living) and i told him it's be hard. as i read over the description of compassion fatigue it was as if someone was describing everything about how i'm feeling. constantly tired. easily irratable, finding it hard to feel compassion for people that i know i should. volunteering full time with 4 organizations has somehow lead me to this point where i find it hard to feel sympathy, strange at it may sound. everyday i deal with people living with HIV/AIDs, people missing one or many limbs, widowed mothers who are facing evicition, people who have no other choice but to drag themselves on the ground...and over the last few month rather than becoming more and more sympathatic i have gradually felt less and less compassion for them. please reconsider what you have written about those who claim they are suffering from compassion fatigue...some of us are.
I love this. Beautifully written.
Now give us more!!! You're a great writer with great insight.
:)
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