As a recent addition to The Cascade’s team, I realize the title of this article may seem like a conflict of interest. It’s my job, after all, to scour the internet looking for interesting stories, events, and disasters to write about (the more spectacular the better). But if I’m being honest, researching what to write about next is a task that fills me with dread. What pleasure is there to be found in reporting on death and destruction all the time? Sure, there’s always room in The Cascade for stories that aren’t all doom and gloom — and often we celebrate the brighter side of life by writing about indisputably positive things (check out Gauri Sethi’s article on the recent Nagar Kirtan celebration, or Sydney Marchand’s delightful ode to her tiny garden). However, the BIG news — the news that we always keep our ears pricked up for — is more often than not, bad news.
As it happens, bad news often makes for great articles. The recent killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has unfortunately led to damaged international relationships, sparked civil unrest at home and abroad, and increased the potential for further violence. Not good news. The rise of artificial intelligence has created new opportunities for people to deceive each other, has dangerous implications for the future of politics, and may one day be the death of us all. Also not good news. Wars continue to rage, the rich are becoming unfathomably rich at the expense of everyone else, and we’re increasingly at the mercy of political madmen. To quote MacReady from John Carpenter’s classic horror film The Thing: “Nobody trusts anybody anymore… and we’re all very tired.”
All bad news. However, the inherent drama within each of these stories; the itch to explore the dark side of humanity — that’s what makes good News, baby.
However, what’s good for a news outlet isn’t always good for my anxiety. It’s enjoyable to take all the nervous energy I gain from reading about world events and put it into my writing, to create an article that’s simultaneously informative and interesting. But when I’m not writing, I’m left alone with an omnipresent fear of the future.
It’s not just me either. The constant stream of bad news is a river we all bathe in. You don’t have to be a journalist to feel depressed every time Google sends you a news alert, proclaiming that a previously bad situation somewhere in the world has only gotten worse (hello again, Israel and Palestine). When something bad happens, we often feel called upon to help in some small way, but which cause deserves our help the most? There are so many to choose from, and so little time. Awareness is nice, but money is better. That’s a big ask for young people who are currently trying to figure out if they want to graduate university or buy a house before they die. The whole thing makes you want to throw up your hands and ask What’s the point in any of this?
However, somewhat paradoxically, I believe community newspapers like this one lighten the burden of bad news a little bit. A shared project between authors, artists, editors, and everyone in-between helps us celebrate the good things in life (and commiserate about the bad). Writing about an issue you care about is a cathartic way of saying “Hey! Somebody gives a shit about this!” In this issue of The Cascade you’ll find some bad news: forest fires, environmental devastation, and more. You’ll also find some positivity, whether it be from a review of a favourite video game, a celebration of community, or a simple pizza recipe. Whatever you find, we hope you’ll be inspired to write about something you genuinely give a shit about, good or bad. And if you do find something you give a shit about, you know where to find us.
(That’s Room S2111, in case you don’t know where to find us).
Matthew Iddon was born at an exceptionally young age. He aspires to one day become old. He currently resides.
