Column Why I won't bury my head in the sand in future
When she hears, reads or sees the news, the columnist would like to go into hibernation for a few years. But because she knows that this is not the solution, she has opted for a different strategy.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- "With all the negative news, I sometimes feel like burying my head in the sand," says blue News columnist Michelle de Oliveira.
- However, because de Oliveira knows that this is not the best solution, she has now opted for a different strategy.
- "That's why I want to focus on what gives me confidence. Ironically, that's exactly what gives me nightmares: it's the people," says de Oliveira.
I run through the narrow streets of Lisbon. I'm panting, but I'm barely moving. Behind me is Elon Musk. He's sitting in a ball that rolls through the streets at lightning speed and even negotiates tight corners effortlessly.
A robot that always knows exactly where I am. At some point, I manage to outpace my pursuer and reach my destination: a peace conference.
But I've lost my entry ticket and I'm refused entry. I run back to find the ticket, but am suddenly surrounded by women who all have to change diapers.
About the person: Michelle de Oliveira
Michelle de Oliveira is a journalist, yogini, mother and always in search of balance - and not just on the yoga mat. She also has a soft spot for all things spiritual. In her column, she reports on her experiences with the incomprehensible, but also from her very real life with all its joys and challenges. She lives with her family in Portugal.
I miss the important conference. Then - you guessed it - I wake up: it's all just a dream, fortunately.
But the night-time story doesn't leave me so quickly.
I don't want to lose hope and confidence
Because the dream revolves around topics that also bother me during the day: the political situation in the world, war, racism, the oppression of minorities, patriarchy and increasing misogyny.
When I hear, read or watch the news, I often get scared. It really turns me off - and unfortunately not just in nightmares when the lights are out.
Sometimes I feel like burying my head in the sand and staying that way for the next four to eight years. Or even longer, who knows. If I ask around, many people feel the same way. The news is avoided, too hard to digest, always garnished with a feeling of powerlessness.
But: I don't want to lose hope and confidence. I will not let them be taken away from me, I decide. I recently read an apt quote by US author Suzanne Collins: "Hope is the only thing stronger than fear."
That's why I want to focus on what gives me confidence. Ironically, it's the same thing that gives me nightmares: people.
Columnist's son: "That's not possible"
Let's start with the little ones: when I was in the car the other day venting my frustration about political developments in the world in general and in Germany in particular, my seven-year-old son wanted to know why I was angry.
I explained to him how the leader of Germany's largest far-right party wants to suppress things that she herself lives by.
"That's not right," my son shouted indignantly. "That would be like you constantly eating chocolate in front of me, but I never get a piece because it's supposedly unhealthy."
He understood the problem, just like many other young people. For example, the under-25s who voted most often for "Die Linke" in the German federal elections.
Gisèle Pelicot: "Shame must change sides"
I feel hope when I see numerous anti-fascist slogans in the student city of Coimbra in the north of Portugal and read the quote from Gisèle Pelicot on banners: "Shame must change sides."
And when this courageous woman is named one of the "Women of the Year 2025" by "Time Magazine".
I have hope when people all over the world take to the streets on International Women's Day to draw attention to injustice, oppression and violence against women and raise their voices for self-determination and equal rights.
When the male-dominated south curve of FCZ loudly opposes the signing of a star footballer who had to defend himself in court against ten charges of sexual offenses and rape.
Although he was acquitted on all charges, it is still morally condemnable, says the Frauenzentrale Zürich in a video on Tiktok. And that's exactly what the FCZ fans did.
That's why I no longer bury my head in the sand
I have hope when people have the courage to speak out publicly against the most powerful men in the world, such as the Bishop of Washington, Mariann Edgar Budde, who called on US President Donald Trump to show mercy to migrants and the LGBTQ+ community.
But people who make a difference in everyday life also give me hope. When a person is kind and helpful, even if it doesn't benefit them.
When someone asks me how I am and really wants to know the answer. When we are forgiving, when we respect other opinions, when we cultivate understanding and openness instead of hatred and resentment.
I want to make this difference in everyday life. Because even if the others are often louder, I have hope because I know that there are many of us. And we won't bury our heads in the sand.
