I do understand what you are saying, Happiyogi but there is only so much that we should want to put ourselves through, surely, without the ability to actually do something about it. That form of torture, I think, is something most of us would prefer to avoid if we can.
Avoiding endless news, cutting ourselves off from the reality of the worst of what's happening, the pain, the suffering of those who have lost family members, the anger that we feel for Care home residents, and when people don't seem interested enough to stay in and socially distance and take the whole nightmare seriously; not to mention anxieties for a future, what chance of a vaccine, the latest developments etc., etc. Maybe turning away from some of this is what we owe ourselves, especially when we feel fragile or are struggling to cope with what has happened and is still happening. News and counter news and denials and daily picking apart in the media of something so totally beyond our worst nightmares will actually start to affect even the most blasé and chilled amongst us very soon, if it hasn't done so already. We should stay aware of that.
For myself, I have definitely seen and heard more than enough because we are bombarded with it, every hour of the day with news bulletins, breaking news, newspapers, documentaries, special programmes, radio broadcasts etc., And it's certainly not over yet ! Many will want to turn away simply because there is absolutely nothing to be done except watch and listen to endless tragic stories and worry about the future. It's a bloody awful spectator sport !
If we were looking at some terrible natural disaster, an earthquake or famine, for example; those crying families and starving children would make all of us reach deep into our pockets - o.k., we can now do something to help- we can even volunteer. Here we can do nothing. In the Tsunami which resulted in such horrific loss of life and livelihoods one Christmas time in Sri Lanka and other countries, the staggering generosity of the people of the UK shocked the world in that it surpassed all other countries in the sums of money raised for the Disasters Fund. So much so that the British Government, who had already pledged a large sum, were forced to increase that help offered in order to match what ordinary, caring people had given. People, most people truly care and are wonderful in such times. Our family were able to buy a fishing boat - sounds grand, but the sum of £50 then would buy a little wooden craft to allow Sri Lankan men to start fishing again and feed their families and the locals. We could do something. From being so upset, I was excited that I could walk into the Bank and physically do something about what I had seen. This pandemic just makes me constantly distressed, so I for one do not want to keep reading and hearing of the tragedy going on all around me, and which only reinforces my feelings of desperation that I can do nothing about it. That's the most awful feeling: I feel I am only intruding on others' grief and pain whilst having to ignore what is happening to them. I am powerless in this. But, I am doing everything I can by staying in, staying safe, socially distancing, supporting my friends and family and neighbours in emails, and nagging the living daylights out of everyone I know to be patient and stick to the rules and stay positive until we are able to start leading some sort of normal life again. We are NEVER going to forget this and what has happened to the people of this world - not any of us, ever.