Seeking the Why

Very frequently, I find myself caught up in news stories from across the world. Whether they're brought to me by mainstream and legacy media or by social media journalists and freethinkers, they grip me all the same. Each story seems to demand my attention, yet my focus often diverges from the mechanics of what happened. My partner in the Devil’s Advocates may deeply analyze the "how" and "what" of events, delving into the concrete details—and he does so with rare skill. But for me, the questions often shift to something more intangible yet profoundly human: Why?

Why did people react the way they did? What is it about the psyche of the American population—or the world at large—that shapes our reactions to events, to figures, to narratives? How do the emotions of our time, stirred by fear, hope, anger, or distrust, drive our perceptions and our actions? Why does an alleged assassin, in one moment, become a national anti-hero in a way that echoes the desperation and disillusionment of a different era, such as the Great Depression?

These are not just questions about individual events; they are reflections of a deeper societal undercurrent. Desperation and distrust don't emerge from thin air. They grow from systemic failures, collective struggles, and the sense that the voices of ordinary people are too often ignored. And when this desperation meets the power of media—be it legacy outlets or grassroots storytellers—our shared narrative becomes muddled. Over the past eight years, we've seen how narratives can feel contrived, controlled, or even weaponized, dividing us further as a society.

But what if we could step back? What if we, as citizens, could pause to ask not only what is happening in the world, but why we feel the way we do about it? What if we approached these questions not with anger or hate, but with curiosity? What if we resisted the urge to demonize those who see the world differently, and instead sought to understand the roots of their beliefs and emotions?

This is a call for all of us—no matter our personal experiences or worldviews—to come together. Let us reject the temptation to throw hate at one another and instead commit to uncovering the truth about our world and ourselves. Let us question the stories we hear, not just for their factual accuracy, but for their emotional resonance. Let us explore why certain narratives grip us, divide us, or unite us.

Only by understanding the forces at play—both external and internal—can we hope to find common ground. And only by finding common ground can we hope to move forward as a society, together. Let us rise above the noise of hate and fear, and instead build a dialogue rooted in empathy, curiosity, and hope.

This is our challenge, and it is also our opportunity. Will you join me in seeking the truth and understanding the deeper "why"?

-Mike