'Hope in Humanity'

How to keep up to date with current affairs and be happy simultaneously

Everyday there is another tragedy in the world - an attack, a war, a riot, a natural disaster, a hateful remark by a politician - it is easy to begin to believe that is all there is to the world. Humans are inherently evil, we are doomed for failure; that is the message my internal monologue sends me daily on my early morning news check but recently I've been sending a message back, one of hope, because I know not all people are evil, sometimes it just takes an active reminder. I know I am not alone in this helpless feeling; we have become desensitised to conflict. Every day we scroll past the words ‘genocide’ and ‘terror’ as easily as we do a cat video. Evil has become normalised in a world of mass media. We were never meant to see dead bodies of civilians halfway across the world but that is the consequence of greater connection in a modern age. Of course our generation has the highest rates of mental health issues, the world is outright depressing when viewed through a screen with 24/7 news. This is my guide to overcoming the helplessness of being an up-to-date teen in 2026.

Search for Positivity
The news we see on TV occasionally has a segment on positive news (usually only extending as far as a new addition to a zoo), it blends in unnaturally with reports from warzones. It feels patronising and small. The best way to consume positive news is to actively search for it. Sites such as ‘Only Good News Daily’, ‘Positive News’, ‘The Good News Post', and 'The Happy Newsletter’ have stories of community and the good side of human nature. Plus, sites such as ‘The Conversation’ and ‘Substack’, have plenty of articles about positive news and topics other than world events (you can even sign up for ‘The Conversation’s’ ‘Something Good’ weekly newsletter). By separating your consumption of negative and positive articles, you will stay up-to-date and learn more about your interests without the positivity simply blending in with depressing news stories.

Use Your Anger
Political anger is entirely natural, you are not weak for shouting at the news on TV, it is proof of your empathy. Political anger can be a massively impactful thing when utilised correctly. This is how to release your anger at the news in a productive way. You could write about it, whether this is articles or a letter to your MP, the process of writing about your feelings on a certain topic can help you process it and sharing it with the right people can change critical opinions. You could go to protests (just make sure you do so safely). This can feel useless but

when people come together to demand a change or bring attention to a topic, people do often listen, and public opinion does change. Maybe you would rather do something creative, whether it be creating artwork, films, or social media content. Sharing your thoughts and feelings in a creative manner is a brilliant way to process your own emotions and help others to empathise with them. By doing something with your anger, you take back some autonomy in the world. What politicians do is out of your control, how you react is in your control. So don't just react with blind panic. Send the message that this is your world too and make your voice count in whatever way you know how.

Understand the News
This may seem counterproductive, but once you fully understand what is worrying you about the news it can reduce anxiety. So, read more widely, ask questions about what politicians say, don't feel silly googling “Can we actually go to war?”. Educate yourself on your anxieties. Once you understand there are declarations and laws in place which reduce the chances of your biggest fears, you begin to realise how easy it is to assume the worst possible scenario. When you understand the history and laws surrounding certain events it becomes easier to predict what will happen next. Remember, when we all thought the world would end in Covid? Exactly, we are still here! And experts new that from the beginning.

Have a Break
Without encouraging you to completely disengage with politics and current affairs, sometimes it is best for your mental health to step away for a moment. If, like me, you are a chronic news-checker, challenge yourself to spend a day without checking the news app (just don’t do what I did and choose to do this the day a war breaks out). Similarly, if you have a social media feed full of depressing news stories, set time limits or block certain apps for certain hours in the day (I use an app called Opal to help me do this but there are plenty out there so find one which works for you). By having a ‘news-detox’, you train yourself out of the paranoia of constant news checks and sub-consciously remind yourself it is not your responsibility to be aware of everything you cannot control at all points. This leads nicely onto my next point.

Touch Grass
For all the joys of social media, it is indisputably terrible for our mental health. In terms of reporting, it has been an amazing invention. Long-gone are the days of telegrams and days’ worth of delays as journalists piece together reports from abroad to put in the morning newspaper. This is brilliant - to an extent… We were never meant to see all the gory details of foreign warfare, children were never meant to see bodies of other children killed by bombs thousands of miles away. Connection can turn dystopian quickly. Don't get me wrong, I’m grateful to have access to reports of injustice from across the globe, but I also can't escape it.

Participants in social media detox studies report reduced anxiety by 16%, reduced depression by 25% and reduced insomnia by 15% in just a week (although a full week without any social media isn’t necessary to see improvements in your mental wellbeing).

So, for my next tip, get off social media. I'm sure we’ve all been told to “go outside” at some point, but the reality is, this does help. Smile at a stranger, pet their dog, watch the world go by. You will quickly realise the world of death and destruction we see on our phones and in the news is a hyperbole (albeit the reality for some nations, but not the UK). Of course it's not perfect, if you're unlucky you might see signs for a far-right protest, but the world is mostly good. Most strangers will smile back, most dogs will wag their tails, you might see young couples, old couples, friends having a picnic. The thing that makes life, life.

Sometimes, when I’m on the train coming home after a hard day I like to try and name everything I see out of the window that I think is beautiful. The reflection of the sun on the wet tracks, the lines of trees, that each house I pass contains a different story. It reassures me that I simply cannot keep up.

Hear Me Out
Now is the point at which I give you those “live, laugh, love” type tips. The ones you roll your eyes at. The type of tip a parent or a teacher gives you when you say “I’m so stressed” which makes you think they must have never experienced stress in their life. Of course, some of them are completely useless, and of course what works for some people will not work for everyone, but I have come to (reluctantly) realise some of them actually do work.

Listen to happy music. When you are feeling bad and ABBA starts to play, it can be infuriatingly patronising but stick with it and after a while it works. Sad music does have its place but try not to start your day off with it. Try listening to more relaxing or upbeat music on your morning commute and it might just lift your mood for the rest of the day. Don't get me wrong, blasting the Beach Boys will not single handedly solve the stress of your A-levels, but it might give your mind a temporary break.

Talk about whatever is worrying you. I find this is particularly useful to clarify my thoughts and figure out what is really bothering me. Unconventionally, I find talking to myself is just as helpful for this as it allows me to piece together my thoughts in my time without the pressure of articulating myself well. The more you talk about issues which are playing on your mind the easier it becomes and can make some of my previous tips (releasing anger in a productive way, understanding the news, etc.) less intimidating to approach. It is also important to note this can very easily be overdone and quickly spiral into unhealthy cycles of overthinking and reminiscing, so be careful to keep this in mind.

Get a hobby. This will aid you in disconnecting and going outside. Choose something creative and bake, draw, or learn an instrument. Choose to pursue an interest and read, go on Wikipedia rabbit holes, or write. Choose to do something active and join a gym class, start running or even just go on walks. Whatever it is it will function as a distraction allowing you to relax, even when the prospect seems impossible.

Key Takeaways
You, alone, cannot solve world hunger (unless you are a multi-billionaire in which case you should solve world hunger). You should never allow yourself to feel responsibility or pressure to control things that are simply out of your control. We know one person can change the world, but you do not have a divine responsibility to be that person. Do not compare yourself to famous activists in the way amateur athletes often compare themselves to Olympians. You are not Greta Thunberg and that's okay. Only Greta Thunberg is Greta Thunberg just as there is only one of you and Greta Thunberg could never be you. Greta Thunberg also compares herself to other activists; does that mean she's not doing enough - of course not! Do what you can, when you can, but I promise you, you're doing enough. Stay aware, stay educated, never let anyone tell you you're being too sensitive or too angry about politics but also look after yourself and check in with your emotions every once in a while. Ask yourself if the way you're consuming news is healthy and if it's affecting you a little too much. The naivety of believing everything will be fine is ignorance but the crushing paranoia of obsessing over events is paralysing and prohibits you from living and progressing. You need to find a balance of awareness and wellbeing.

And remember, for every tragedy in the world there is a success elsewhere, a hidden glimmer of hope. You won’t hear about them unless you look for them, but small glimmers of hope represent something much bigger. It proves that people, for all their flaws, can still be beautiful and pure in nature. It proves we can always have hope in humanity.