Glancing over my shoulder this evening at what I was watching on TikTok, my daughter remarked that there was no point in being so angry. She could have been talking about any of the clips I’d just seen – each one featured a man angrily stating his views.
At the centre of these videos was Donald Trump. The outrage stemmed from his latest controversy, a meeting in Alaska that promised much but seemed to deliver little, if anything at all.
The never-ending controversies
The week before it was the ‘Epstein files’ and Trump’s insistence they will not be released, despite spending many years stating the opposite. The day before it was his heavy-handed approach to taking over the policing of Washington DC.
Tomorrow it will be something else. The pattern is already clear: every few days brings a new headline, a new controversy, and a fresh wave of anger. And the conversation around the release of the ‘Epstein files’ will run and run. And so it should.
Social media and the 24/7 news cycle
Thanks to social media and the 24/7 news cycle, we’re closer to events in the US than ever before. We don’t just hear about them – we watch them unfold in real time, through livestreams, viral clips, and emotional commentary. And when we see fellow human beings being mistreated, silenced, or put at risk, of course we react. It would be worrying if we didn’t.
Trump: the reality
But here’s the reality: Trump has only been in office a matter of months, with years still ahead. If we try to sustain this level of outrage the entire time, it will burn us out. Anger can be a powerful catalyst for action, but as a permanent state it drains us rather than drives us. So the question becomes: how do we manage it?
Action vs. exhaustion
One answer lies in recognising the difference between anger that fuels action and anger that only eats away at us. Outrage has its place – it can mobilise protests, spark conversations, and demand accountability. But when it becomes constant background noise, it leaves us exhausted rather than effective.
Instead, we can choose to channel what we feel into something more sustainable:
- Take action where you can. Whether it’s supporting campaigns, donating to organisations, or simply having thoughtful conversations, even small steps create impact.
- Set boundaries with the news. Staying informed doesn’t mean being glued to every update. Curate your feeds, limit scrolling, and choose trusted sources over endless commentary.
- Balance anger with hope. For every story that enrages us, there are also stories of resistance, resilience, and solidarity. Seek them out – they remind us why the fight matters.
- Look after your wellbeing. Activism and awareness require energy. Rest, connect with others, and create moments of calm so you don’t lose yourself in the storm.
Sitting here in the calmer waters of the UK, I can step back, take breaks, and still feel overwhelmed by what I’m seeing unfold. I can’t begin to imagine what it must feel like to live through this daily in America – the so-called “land of the free.”
Except it doesn’t feel free anymore, and may never again, not when so many voices are being silenced and so many futures placed at risk.
Compassion, solidarity and steady determination
And yet, anger alone won’t carry us through the years ahead. What will is compassion, solidarity, and steady determination – the refusal to look away, even when the headlines exhaust us.
If freedom is slipping, then the challenge, for all of us, is to keep alive the hope and the action that will bring it back, even if we live over 3000 miles away.
