Ferguson has an impact around the country through technology

The violence and devastation happening in Ferguson, Missouri might be over 1,400 miles away, but we are being impacted by the images we see on television, the Internet and social media.

“As recently as 25 years ago, that would not have been true. With our smartphones and social media we are all more interconnected than ever before,” said board certified in forensics, clinical psychologist Dr. Anthony Napoleon. “What happens in one part of the world can have an immediate impact upon the rest of the world.”

Constant exposure to devastation can affect us psychologically, according to experts like Dr. Napoleon.

“There’s that old notion, but by the grace of God there goes I,” Napoleon said. “We begin to identify with those who are being affected. If you are a small business owner, you’ll identify with the plight of those people whose businesses were burned to the ground. If you are a young black male, you will more than likely identify with Mr. Brown. If you are a police officer, you will likely identify with Mr. Wilson.”

For the average citizen looking on, you might wonder in which direction is our society headed. According to Dr. Napoleon the end result is a feeling of unease.