Saw that headline today, the one about the Russian MMA guy and the bodybuilder. Wild stuff. Honestly, it just popped up outta nowhere while I was scrolling, looking for something completely different. You know how it is.
First thing I did? Felt that pit in my stomach. Like, seriously? Is this what the internet just throws at you now? Didn’t even click, didn’t need the details. The headline was enough to paint a pretty grim picture.
It got me thinking, though. About how you try to set up your online world, right? You follow certain things, mute others, try to keep it somewhat sane. I spend time tweaking settings, telling algorithms what I like – usually DIY stuff, maybe some cooking channels, old tech reviews. Pretty boring, stable things.
Filtering the Noise
But then stuff like this just punches through. It doesn’t matter what filters you think you have. It’s like the digital equivalent of walking down a quiet street and suddenly hearing a massive crash around the corner. You weren’t looking for it, but there it is.
So, my process after seeing something like that? It’s usually a quick recoil.
- Close the tab or scroll past fast.
- Maybe shake my head a bit.
- Try to consciously look for something completely unrelated, something positive or at least neutral. Like watching someone fix an old radio or build a birdhouse.
It’s a deliberate action. Gotta consciously steer away from that darkness. Because honestly, going down that rabbit hole, reading comments, watching clips? Never helps. Just leaves you feeling grim.
It’s weird, the sheer amount of just… raw human awfulness you can stumble upon with a few clicks. No warning label most of the time. Just boom, there it is, sandwiched between a cat video and an ad for socks. It’s a strange world we’ve built here online. You just gotta learn to navigate it carefully, I guess. Keep your head down and try not to step in the nasty stuff.
