Thank you, I was actually waiting for an article like this.

My interpretation of what you just said: When people consume absently what media presents (daily news & co) they aren't in physical touch with worlds poverty, crime and war. What they think they see of "others" seems to be just a backflash of themselves and the pain one feels in watching arousing TV-scenes or newspaper-news is like self-watching. One watches and relates to the hurting part of the self. The pictures and headlines seem to activate pain memories.

A very funny & positive answer on depression I found yesterday:
There is this guy here who said that he suffered from depression and started recording himself on his computer. He more and more enjoyed the self talk and it felt as if he talked to someone ELSE who was responding. Isn't that interesting? It has helped him as one part of his own created program to overcome his depression.

I do have physical and emotional contact to refuges and very poor and miserable people through my work. I find it important to find something in the lives of those people which activates their pride, hope and dignity. The poorest people are very much generous, I often was offered presents and gestures of grace. I do not pity them and I try not to worry or be afraid of their states of mind and heart. I do feel empathy a lot but don't take home their biographies and destinies. I feel often deeply touched. And that is over all a POSITIVE feeling.

From what you describe - no problem sharing negative stuff - I would add there is also no problem to broadcast positive stuff - yellow press and mass media is a very good example of a "manic-depressive" phenomena.

Where, on the one hand, there is always a shiny mood, where all superlatives of the language are exploited and laughter cheer even more up the sunny minds.

Moderator: "Well, what a wonderful day this is!!! HaHaHaHa!! Susie, tell us, what awaits us today on the sunny beach of Waikikiriki?!!!"

When the gold medals and successes of gigantic projects can hardly be any more gigantic, the "fighting in Gaza" and the many "brute violence" are read aloud in a cold, sober tone show a form of subtle dismay. jaddajaddajadda

I would say that two extremes express themselves and the media, by their very nature, live on such extremes. Nobody should buy that. But of course, we are humans.

To stay in the middle is quite an art, no? I like though to experiment with uneasy stats of mind for it gives great opportunities to mature.

Good evening for you! :-)