In the United States, constant access to information exposes people to violence on a daily basis. The media floods us with reports and recounts of “another bad thing” that took place in society on a given day. 

As the brain matures, it naturally develops a tolerance and understanding that the world is not safe. Being aware of violent incidents is a regular part of life, but as the sheer volume and extremity of these incidents increase, today’s youth must adopt a tolerance to it much quicker than previous generations. 

Social media allows for access to information, but it causes youth to be exposed to harmful content much earlier than their brain is ready to process it. 

The Youth Endowment Fund did a study on teenagers in 2024. Platforms such as TikTok and X allow for this content to reach a younger demographic. 70% of teens reported seeing real-life violence on social media. 80% of those who saw weapons on social media said it made them feel less safe in their community. 

There are too many violent incidents going on that society cannot fully process and empathize with it before their attention is turned to a different incident. Since there are so many incidents, society has developed a tolerance toward violence. 

In a recent poll by The Mycenaean, 78% of Leesville students say they are desensitized to violence. 78% of our student body is unaffected by seeing or hearing about assault, murder, and gun violence. 

According to a TED Talk by Emmy Thamakaison, indifference towards violence is the human brain defending itself from high levels of trauma. Building an emotional resistance to societal violence protects the individual’s mental health. The early exposure to trauma that Gen Z and Gen Alpha have to face, force their brains to dissociate quickly. 

There is less anger, disgust, and sadness in response to societal violence. The brain is overwhelmed by all of the trauma; that is, it is stretched too thin to have a true emotional response. People could be drowned in grief, or they could just push it away.  

If each instance of violence against innocent people were fully acknowledged, the United States would be constantly mourning. According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of November 7, 2025, over 11,000 people have died this year due to gun violence. On Sunday, November 2, 2025, alone, there were 65 deaths across 22 states. 

Students may read these numbers and think that this is just the world we live in — it’s how society is, but this lack of response is only adding to the problem. Desensitization to violence may keep individuals in their bubble, but the environment outside of that will continue to be subject to a vicious cycle.