Why we're numb to the people killed in Israel and Gaza
By Emiliano Rodríguez Nuesch and Nancy Nuñez
A few days ago, Al Jazeera released a thought-provoking video titled 'Why human compassion decreases the more people are killed?' This video delves into the concept of psychic numbing, exploring diverse viewpoints and voices on our collective responses to the conflict in Gaza and Israel.
Why it matters: More than 20,000 people were killed in Gaza and Israel over the last three months. As the death toll in Gaza continues to climb, the numbers seem to lose their impact.
What social science shows: Psychic numbing is a psychological phenomenon that causes us to feel indifferent to the suffering of large numbers of people. The phenomenon, known as 'psychic numbing', has been identified by researchers like Paul Slovic as a response that explains the limits on human compassion when confronted with mass atrocities and widespread suffering. In short, we are insensitive when large numbers of people are at risk and this limits our capacity to take action.
How can we overcome psychic numbing?
Promoting Dialogue and Cultural Exchanges: Encouraging open and respectful dialogue about the conflict may help overcome this barrier. This can create spaces for people to express their emotions, share perspectives, and engage in constructive discussions that challenge preconceived notions. Facilitating cultural exchanges and interactions between individuals from different backgrounds helps humanize "the other" to challenge stereotypes and foster understanding.
Personalizing the Stories and Humanizing the Numbers: One of the ways to overcome psychic numbing is to focus on individual stories and personal experiences rather than just statistics. Highlighting the human aspect of a crisis can make it more relatable and emotionally impactful. Vlada Patapov, a 25-year-old Ukrainian-born mother of one, emerged as a survivor and a symbol of resilience amidst the October 7 massacre in Israel, earning recognition as the 'lady in red,' one of its most hauntingly iconic images.
“We're not numbers”, says Plestia Alaqad, a 22-year-old Palestinian citizen journalist who gained recognition on social media by sharing video diaries documenting daily life in Gaza during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war on her Instagram account.
Psychic numbing is likely to be increased when people are culturally removed from the context of a tragedy. Plestia’s Instagram posts aim to revert that, in order to connect with people and explain how Palestinians are dehumanized during the war conflict. 'They don't see us as humans so I want the world to know us as humans and to have a connection with us', she says. Plestia articulates her desire for people to understand how Palestinians are feeling: 'We are humans, we have lives, we have dreams'.
Encouraging Empathy: Promoting empathy by encouraging people to put themselves in the shoes of those directly affected is a way to overcome psychic numbing. 'We stayed in silence and we held hands. We prayed' says Millet Ben-Haim, a survivor of the Supernova music festival massacre during Hamas’ October 7 attack in Israel. She describes the helplessness and fear she experienced while hiding in a bush for six hours to save her life. Hearing her experience helps to humanize the situation, making it more relatable and less abstract.
Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan is a pediatric intensive care doctor who also works with Doctors Without Borders and is part of Gaza Medic Voices, an Instagram account that shares first-hand accounts from Gazan healthcare professionals. She gained recognition on social media when she emotionally broke down while reading an urgent message from the director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. This is an example of media storytelling that helps depict the human side of a crisis.
Empathy is Putting Yourself in the Shoes of Someone Else Asked about how to humanize stories and ensure that victims are not just numbers, she said: 'I think a lot about what empathy is. It's putting yourself in the shoes of somebody else'. She highlighted that for many, the difficulty lies in feeling disconnected from this issue due to its perceived distance from their culture or background.
Advocating for Change: Visualizing Palestine is an organization that creates resources for education and collective action for Palestine. Its work is mainly centered on trying to change narratives. This is a good example of how educational initiatives can provide a deeper understanding of the historical, political, and social aspects of the conflict, help break down mental barriers and promote empathy.
Finding Creative Ways To Tell Stories: Nasreen Abd Elal is an information designer at Visualizing Palestine where she uses data and research to create visual stories for social justice: 'We see our role as uh fighting against this by providing resources that merge this in-depth research with accessible storytelling making it not just about the numbers but about really humanizing the data and bringing people into Palestinian narratives and connecting them to what's happening'.
Other ways to overcome psychic numbing are:
Limiting Exposure to Negative News: While staying informed is important, continuous exposure to distressing news can contribute to psychic numbing. It's crucial to strike a balance and take breaks from overwhelming information.
Support and Solidarity: Fostering a sense of global community and solidarity with those affected by the conflict, and encouraging support for humanitarian organizations working on the ground, emphasizing the shared responsibility of the international community.
Want to Get Deeper Into the Science Behind Psychic Numbing? There are multiple research papers about the limits of human compassion.
The Arithmetic of Compassion team describes on this link the causes behind the gap in how we believe we should value life saving and how research shows we do value saving lives.
