Prophet Ibrahim's Knife and a World Losing Its Feeling

Something is slowly dulling within humans. Not a knife, but feeling.

We live in an era where news of grief arrives in relentless waves only to pass by unnoticed. Conflicts flash across smartphone screens, replaced seconds later by entertainment videos.

Disasters become statistics. Poverty turns into data. The cries of others morph into mere information traffic.

We see more yet feel less. This is where the irony of our age lies.

Technology connects us more, yet doesn’t necessarily make us more caring. Social media informs us of countless things, but not always deep understanding.

We know of countless global events yet often forget to greet neighbours mere steps away. We’re connected to hundreds, even thousands, yet grow increasingly estranged from one another.

German sociologist Hartmut Rosa once warned that the modern world moves at a pace that leaves little room for pause. Through his concept of social acceleration, he illustrates how humans are gradually losing depth in relationships—with each other, with nature, and even with themselves.

Everything moves swiftly. But the heart cannot always keep up. Consequently, people grow easily fatigued, quick to anger, and unconsciously desensitised to suffering.

Perhaps this is why tragedies feel like mere notifications. We read of grief while sipping coffee. Watch disasters scroll by. Witness others’ suffering before moving on to the next entertainment.