By Bex Peterson, Editor-in-Chief
It’s not really a bold statement to say that the news is exhausting. It might be a bold statement coming from the Editor-in-Chief of a newspaper, though.
“Everything is terrible” is something I hear—and honestly, say—a lot. It’s ironic catastrophizing, something you exclaim with a bitter, disbelieving laugh as you hear about some fresh new shenanigans spat out at you by the endless 24-hour news cycle. Whether at home or abroad, whether a large-scale political injustice or an irritating microaggression, it can get overwhelming.
Despite this, I’m a big believer in action, and I’m a believer in organizing: Teaming up to turn hundreds and thousands of voices into a strong, direct message. I went to my first political protest when I was nine years old (you’re never too young to think going to war is generally a bad idea) and as soon as I was old enough to vote, you best believe I marched right up to the local elementary school and proudly filled in my ballot.
I think it’s easy to get swept up in the idea that nothing we do or say matters, that the systematic injustices many of us face are far too big to take on—or worse, that they’re some kind of inevitable force, like they’ve existed long before we were born and will continue long after we go. “Everything is terrible, everything has always been terrible, and everything will always be terrible, so what’s the point?”
What’s the point in standing up for your ideals, even when it’s hard and it feels like nothing will ever change? Well, for one thing, I feel like at least trying to make a difference helps me sleep better at night.
Not every step towards a better future has to be some grand, sweeping revolutionary act. Often, it’s a matter of caring; more, convincing other people to care. On my own, I can’t solve the housing crisis in the Lower Mainland. However, I can investigate my local government officials, see which candidates care about the issues that matter most to me, and I can vote accordingly. Moreover, I can remind my friends, family, and readership to get themselves to a voting booth this October. I can remind people that yes, there is something we can do—there is always something we can do. We can speak up. We can push for change. Humanity did not get this far by seeing terrible things and deciding there was nothing to be done about it.
Everything is terrible, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with voicing that frustration. The question is, what are you going to do about it?
Until next issue,
Bex Peterson
