When you read headlines about a pregnant Palestinian woman losing her baby after being stopped at an Israeli checkpoint, it’s easy to be swept up in the emotion. But let’s cut through the mainstream media narrative that tries to manipulate your feelings. Outlets like CNN and MSNBC present this tragedy in a vacuum, neglecting to discuss the broader context of ongoing violence and security concerns in the region. They want you to feel sorrow, but not to think critically.

Meanwhile, Fox News and other conservative outlets don’t exactly help the discourse. They might touch on the story to highlight security measures or undermine empathy towards Palestinians altogether, spewing tired “whataboutism.” It’s a game—the media flip-flops between presenting this tragedy as emblematic of the conflict and framing it to fit their political agendas.

The truth is, both sides often fall short. The outrage is selective; the complexity is dumbed down. The loss of life in conflict should always evoke empathy, yet these narratives are weaponized to push sides in an already polarized landscape. No one wins here—except, perhaps, those in power who benefit from keeping the masses divided and emotionally reactive.

So let’s not kid ourselves: the corporate media thrives on sensationalism, and their treatment of this story is just another example. When real lives are reduced to talking points, we should all be questioning the motives behind the headlines.