Do I need new shock absorbers for my soul?

I must have pretty good shocks, because I don’t get shocked often. You may a bit sensitive, but that’s just my opinion. People have always been doing crazy things.

Well this was not told to me but I saw with my own eyes, my friend suddenly passed away in the middle of the street and if there was no doctor there by luck, I wouldn’t know what to do.
She did come back after 15 min. I was affected by this incident for two days.
Actually on the same day, my favorite teacher was absent because one of her siblings died…

I am definitely sensitive, @Blackberry—maybe too much so.

@silverangel, those are some shocking events to be sure. I hope those types of events are few and far between for you.

@picante Thanks and I admit that I am pretty much sensitive as well as you are

If you live long enough you will bear witness to some really crazy s#it along the way! I am surprised I still get surprised but I do…

I guess Life will not be as exciting as it must be without crazy things every now and then

@picante, it seems to me that you are one of the ones that wants no borders morally. If this is correct then why would you be surprised at the demise of values. When people don’t have the hope for their deepest heart, they can default into most anything.

@smilingheart1, I have no idea what you mean by I’m “one of the ones that wants no borders morally.” Does my posting here on Fluther make me seem without morals—hmmm???

Some of the shocks that I’ve encountered over the past year really have little to do with morality—simply events that didn’t quite fit the rhythm of life as I’d known it. Now, the child pornography is another matter entirely.

@picante : Being empathetic is difficult, and from what you describe it seems like you are a very empathetic person. I am much the same way, and I deal with it by releasing some of the tension that builds up through exercise and meditation. The exercise is mild walking, and the meditation is not long. It works for me. Perhaps you could give it a try to see if it will help you find you balance.

I think it’s a lesson that we never REALLY know anybody.
People wear really good masks and often hide their dark sides well, for years!

I have let go of two people this year that exposed the extreme hypocrisies of their personalities, projected images.

You just never know, and that’s a gamble we all live with. ;-)

When one becomes a police officer, you are given a set of super heavy-duty McPherson struts and shocks. You can understand why. We hear and deal with nothing but bad news.

Our shock absorbers hold up pretty good.

Wish I could say the same for our batteries.

I’m having a hard time understanding what you’re asking. Are you saying you should respond to these events in a blase kind of way? Are you saying you shouldn’t care as much as you do—that there’s something wrong with being affected?

Let me ask you something. Are you being incapacitated but these events? Because if not, I don’t think you need better shock absorbers. I think you should be concerned and upset by these events. I think it is the natural thing for humans to do. We should care.

People do crazy shit all the time, and always have. However, I imagine that it may come as quite a bit more of a shock when it’s someone you know. We all hear stories about murderers and pedophiles on the news, for example. Are we shocked? Mostly, no. Appalled, saddened, disgusted, yes. But rarely shocked.
However, were I to learn that my neighbour killed two people or that the guy who fixes my computer did something to his children, I’d be shocked indeed. Maybe because it’s much closer to home, rather than being the bad horizon of society. I don’t know. Kinda reminds me of that death/statistics/tragedy thing. Although that’s prolly not so relevant. Or maybe people feel shocked when it’s someone they know, because they can’t imagine that they’ve been associating with that type of person.
So many things, and not knowing you, I wouldn’t know where to stand with my answer.

Public apology to you Picante, I am really sorry I mistook you for someone else. Hope you give me another chance!

@Hawaii_Jake, many thanks for the advice. And @smilingheart1, apology accepted— you have me rethinking everything I’d ever written. Great answers from everyone, and @john65pennington, I’m sending some energizer bunnies your way. @Symbeline, I think you’ve got it—it’s when events strike very close to home or with people whom you’ve known for years—all of a sudden, everything is out of kilter. Again, thanks for responding, everyone!