The world of today is certainly tumultuous, but we need to remember that sometimes we all just need a break from the stress it causes.

Just days ago, the University of Chicago had to cancel classes after someone took to Twitter and threatened the student body. The threat, as was later revealed, was made in retaliation to the death of Laquan McDonald last year.

The investigation into McDonald’s death recently shed an incriminating light on Chicago police.  This sparked outrage by the public against a police force that they trust with their lives. This is one of numerous cases in two years and the general public is now trapped in a recursive loop of distrust.

Meanwhile, Colorado Springs still reels after the Nov. 27 attack on Planned Parenthood. Accounts from people who knew alleged attacker Robert Louis Dear describe an evangelical, prideful man, motivated by hatred.

There’s so much violence we have to stomach every single day, and it’s indicative of a growing culture centered around outrage and anger.

Though blatant ignorance toward serious matters is a real issue, I don’t think it’s inherently wrong to close oneself off from all of it every now and then.

It’s fallacious to think nobody cares when someone distances themselves from serious issues, or has an uneven distribution of support or opposition for everything. If you’ve ever seen those posts on social media that basically read “This terrible thing happened, too, where’s their outrage?” you’ll agree with me.

But we mustn’t forget we are still people, and people become overwhelmed easily. There’s nothing wrong with tuning out bad news when it upsets you.

You shouldn’t feel guilty when you choose to keep your opinions to yourself, or close yourself off the constant stream of everyday negativity, as long as you’re committed to educating yourself on the issues themselves.

We have a right to be concerned, angry, outraged, but we have an obligation to ourselves to stay safe.

And, as an opinion writer for a college newspaper, even if that means taking a break from the deluge of media headlines, you have my support.