In a highly polarized clickbait-fueled world, we are all acting out of resentment towards a world we lost. The partisan political tensions, the failure of our social institutions, the environmental collapse, a global pandemic, and a social-media-driven narcissistic society created a dystopian echo chamber where we are all disillusioned and needing to speak up. As a result, cancellation culture became entertainment. While we struggle with a 2-year pandemic and a potential nuclear war threat, the Depp Vs Heard trial became our distraction– or our catharsis. Is she lying? Or is he? The social chatter is undecided but leaning towards Depp. Some people even think that taking Heard down will trigger the death of the #metoo movement. We wonder if she is just a bad person? Is he an abusive man disguised by the charms of a likable character? Or are they just another dysfunctional couple with their neurosis going way more profound than today's society narrative about power?
I think that the ferocity that people are following every piece of news about the trial and the vileness on social media reflects our own state of mind. But it goes deeper than what it seems: we are all sick.
Last January, Michelle Goldberg, author and New York Times Opinion columnist, wrote about a recent study by Kevin B. Smith – chair of the political science department at the University of Nebraska. The study suggests that the current political environment is a torment much more significant than we'd realized.
The "Politics Is Making Us Sick: The Negative Impact of Political Engagement on Public Health During the Trump Administration" study reports that around 40 percent of Americans "consistently identify politics as a significant source of stress in their lives." Moreover, people from both parties noted that political stress during the Trump years has damaged their health. Shockingly, 5% of people have considered suicide in response to political developments.
I personally experienced the effects on my mental health during the Trump years while living in NYC. After 4 years of Bolsonaro and living an election year, my friends in Brazil report similar signs of distress.
So, it's easy to redirect all our passion and frustration to the Depp Vs Heard. The Hollywood stars' trial became society's modern version of "panis et circences". While we feast on the painful public display of the breakdown of a romantic relationship, we can put aside our own frustrations and anger for a moment.
Now, we are experiencing a few pockets of relief, giving us the confidence to go out and interact with others and the world in person. But as we step outside, we find out that the world has changed dramatically. Not only the world looks more somber and knocked down, people look the same way too. Whether we feel like we need to top others' misery or simply dismiss them, we are eagerly craving attention. It seems like our empathetic qualities were severely decreased after a long period of isolation. People are in desperate need to share their misery and have their frustration validated. Pushing blame, calling out, and canceling is just an expression of how badly we feel victimized by what's happening in the world and how much we are yearning to be heard.
Taking sides, venting our disillusion, or dismissing others, won't change that we are angry with what has become of the world. Likewise, it doesn't matter if Depp or Heard wins. Just like today's Left Vs Right narrative, they are both sides of the same coin. Sadly, whatever will come next is as good as a coin flip.