Over Exposed

Over Exposure!

The first time I ever saw a dead body was my grandma's. It was her hand that I saw which was out of the sheet that was covering the rest of her body. I was a young college going girl but I had never seen a dead human hand before that time. The image is inscribed in my memory forever.

It was a strange experience. I felt emotions that were beyond comprehension at that time. It took me time, age and maturity to fully understand why the image was so shocking to me.

Of course, there was grief. My grandma was old and not in perfect health, still, her demise came as a surprise and a shock but there was another emotion at work when I looked at that body. It was the sense that there was no life left in that hand anymore. The emotion felt very much like a shudder. No, it was not the fear of death. Death is a reality and what I felt was the feeling of facing that reality in the face the very first time. Before that day, it was always a distant reality, heard of or seen being acted out on silver screen. Now, it was so up close that I could almost touch it....not the death itself but a body that contained it.

Years passed by....

In recent years, I have seen and still see images of dead bodies and of chopped up body pieces. Dead bodies of children, mutilated bodies of adults or blown up corpses on news channels, social media and news papers. It always give me a pause. I notice that although it pains, saddens and moves me deeply to see such images, the nature of the shudder is different. I shudder not so much on the visuals but more about the human cruelty or the pain suffered. Seeing so many images has  reduced the shocking element. My eyes have become accustomed to them, though my heart has not, but it makes me wonder if somewhere along the way, it reduces the overall compassion and concern? Is that why there is so much apathy these days? Is it because we are desensitized to human suffering and pain in general?

There is way too much exposure these days. Not just adults but children are being exposed to graphic details. They are growing up with images that give goosebumps to mature minds. These children are taking too many extremes as norms. They are being desensitized by this over exposure at a very young age. They don't get shocked very easily. They have seen too much which makes me question, "where is all this heading?".