Does the public prefer bad news?

[+Desertrat56]

@Xeno-Fish   Here is a website that has good news.   https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org

MSN has a page of just good news   https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news

Even Fox has one  https://www.foxnews.com/category/good-news

My favorite today is the man who drove his lawnmower across the state to help Habit for Humanity.

[+Desertrat56]

2 minutes ago, Xeno-Fish said:

I guess my psyche has been so assaulted that I can no longer "see good" in his world. Guess the programming has took hold. 

I have found that you have to look for it, it isn't something easy, but it is worth while.

[TashaMarie]

4 minutes ago, Xeno-Fish said:

I guess my psyche has been so assaulted that I can no longer "see good" in his world. Guess the programming has took hold. 

I have to believe there is good out there otherwise what is the point, when life is hard and I am going through tough times its looking for the good that helps me through it.

[XenoFish]

5 minutes ago, TashaMarie said:

I have to believe there is good out there otherwise what is the point, when life is hard and I am going through tough times its looking for the good that helps me through it.

I've been at the bottom of the barrel, almost put myself under it. It is just difficult to think there is something good in this world. While I do appreciate the links DesertRat provided. I just have a lot of difficulty thinking we as a species are good. After a few months of Covid news I shut off the tv. Got tired of it. Even now with all the stupidity going on, I just have to shut it out. 

[TashaMarie]

Just now, Xeno-Fish said:

I've been at the bottom of the barrel, almost put myself under it. It is just difficult to think there is something good in this world. While I do appreciate the links DesertRat provided. I just have a lot of difficulty thinking we as a species are good. After a few months of Covid news I shut off the tv. Got tired of it. Even now with all the stupidity going on, I just have to shut it out. 

I'm sorry you feel and have felt that way.  I hope that one day someone/thing is able to demonstrate that there is good in this world and a lot of it.

[+Hammerclaw]

5 hours ago, TashaMarie said:

I'm sorry you feel and have felt that way.  I hope that one day someone/thing is able to demonstrate that there is good in this world and a lot of it.

You are good people.

[Eldorado]

Using advanced language analysis techniques, researchers in Spain have found that Twitter posts with negative sentiments are more likely to go viral than their positive counterparts, once all external factors are controlled for.

https://www.rt.com/news/521118-negativity-increases-chances-twitter-virality/

[XenoFish]

8 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

posts with negative sentiments are more likely to go viral than their positive counterparts, once all external factors are controlled for.

I guess this solves my post to like ratio on UM as well.

[+Sherapy]

On 4/12/2021 at 2:32 PM, Xeno-Fish said:

I've been at the bottom of the barrel, almost put myself under it. It is just difficult to think there is something good in this world. While I do appreciate the links DesertRat provided. I just have a lot of difficulty thinking we as a species are good. After a few months of Covid news I shut off the tv. Got tired of it. Even now with all the stupidity going on, I just have to shut it out. 

Xeno, if you once were optimistic and happy, you can get there again. I think Dee’s idea is fabulous, just take baby steps towards optimism. I went thru this with forgiveness and little by little my therapist and I dug deep and collectively we chipped away at unwrangling the roots that were holding on to not seeing a world that included forgiveness. On my darkest days my therapist would remind me that my brain’s plasticity was doing its part and for me to stay focused on my part staying in the moment, nurturing self awareness and for me getting on my yoga mat as this is the place I go to self care. I can remember the moment when I found a way to see forgiveness as viable. CBT is a process which requires practice and mindful awareness and willingness to go down the rabbit hole. You have done the hardest part which is face yourself without rose colored glasses you can only go up from here. Keep on going. 

[XenoFish]

28 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

Xeno, if you once were optimistic and happy, you can get there again. I think Dee’s idea is fabulous, just take baby steps towards optimism. I went thru this with forgiveness and little by little my therapist and I dug deep and collectively we chipped away at unwrangling the roots that were holding on to not seeing a world that included forgiveness. On my darkest days my therapist would remind me that my brain’s plasticity was doing its part and for me to stay focused on my part staying in the moment, nurturing self awareness and for me getting on my yoga mat as this is the place I go to self care. I can remember the moment when I found a way to see forgiveness as viable. CBT is a process which requires practice and mindful awareness and willingness to go down the rabbit hole. You have done the hardest part which is face yourself without rose colored glasses you can only go up from here. Keep on going. 

It's easier to live with low expectations than getting my hopes up. 

[+Desertrat56]

17 minutes ago, Xeno-Fish said:

It's easier to live with low expectations than getting my hopes up. 

Someone told me that once a long time ago and you saying that makes me worry because he is no longer on the planet, by his own doing.    I know you have said you almost went there but didn't.   I hope you are doing better with yourself now.   Expectations do cause a lot of problems and I think any extreme is an imbalance.   Low expectations can be as mentally unbalanced as high expectations.   

[+Sherapy]

28 minutes ago, Xeno-Fish said:

It's easier to live with low expectations than getting my hopes up. 

You are getting closer, you said low expectations, soon you will say you live at no expectations. When you have no expectations it is hard to be anything but open to the moment and with what shows up, cuz you know you can solve anything. Are you still doing your mindful practice from the link you shared with me. I have been hiking mindfully for fun as of late. Just meaning, I stay present aware of every step. I use coming up the hills to practice. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Sherapy

[+Desertrat56]

4 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

You are getting closer, you said low expectations, soon you will say you live at no expectations. When you have no expectations it is hard to be anything but open to the moment and with what shows up, cuz you know you can solve anything. Are you still doing your mindful practice from the link you shared with me. I have been hiking mindfully for fun as of late. Just meaning, I stay present aware of every step. I use coming up the hills to practice. 

I think we do need some expectations.  For example we should expect respect from people who claim to love us.   I don't see what kind of reaction one would have in a relationship with no expectations.  I get that unrealistic expectations are the bane of most  relationships, but no expectations, how does that work in relationships?  Do you just walk away or do you say something when someone takes advantage or abuses you?     Just like "killing the ego" is impossible, I think no expectations is also impossible.   It is as unbalanced as unrealistic expectations.

Edited April 15, 2021 by Desertrat56

[XenoFish]

2 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

You are getting closer, you said low expectations, soon you will say you live at no expectations. When you have no expectations it is hard to be anything but open to the moment and with what shows up, cuz you know you can solve anything. Are you still doing your mindful practice from the link you shared with me. I have been hiking mindfully for fun as of late. Just meaning, I stay present aware of every step. I use coming up the hills to practice. 

I don't think anyone can live with zero expectations. I just don't put much stock in hopefulness. I can't help but see how bleak things are and I've practically lost faith in humans. 

As for the 'do easy', yeah I'm still at it. 

14 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

Someone told me that once a long time ago and you saying that makes me worry because he is no longer on the planet, by his own doing.    I know you have said you almost went there but didn't.   I hope you are doing better with yourself now.   Expectations do cause a lot of problems and I think any extreme is an imbalance.   Low expectations can be as mentally unbalanced as high expectations.   

My pessimism is my only defense against society.

[+Desertrat56]

1 minute ago, Xeno-Fish said:

My pessimism is my only defense against society.

I guess I get that.  My anger is my defense.   But neither of those are sustainable as protection from insanity.

[XenoFish]

15 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

I guess I get that.  My anger is my defense.   But neither of those are sustainable as protection from insanity.

I know that I can no longer inhabit a "optimistic" reality tunnel. Once one illusion is broken the new one takes its place. While I might have moments of hopefulness and optimism, both are cut short by knowing that there is always a negative. In my mind I can see that there are good people, yet to me all their acts of kindness are driven by pure selfishness. They are only good because it makes the look good. 

[+Sherapy]

23 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

I think we do need some expectations.  For example we should expect respect from people who claim to love us.   I don't see what kind of reaction one would have in a relationship with no expectations.  I get that unrealistic expectations are the bane of most  relationships, but no expectations, how does that work in relationships?  Do you just walk away or do you say something when someone takes advantage or abuses you?     Just like "killing the ego" is impossible, I think no expectations is also impossible.   It is as unbalanced as unrealistic expectations.

Indeed, I see your point.
 

For me, I approach it as more open ended, meaning what shows up is what I work with, in other words, for example: if an experience brings a disrespectful ******** the situation all the factors will determine how I proceed. Just meaning I don’t have a auto pilot response, I know I have the skills to navigate anything. For me, life is just simpler with this approach. 
 

Great feedback, thank you.

[+Sherapy]

32 minutes ago, Xeno-Fish said:

I don't think anyone can live with zero expectations. I just don't put much stock in hopefulness. I can't help but see how bleak things are and I've practically lost faith in humans. 

As for the 'do easy', yeah I'm still at it. 

My pessimism is my only defense against society.

I am working on no expectations, just accepting the moment and then proceeding from there. So far it is a pretty good strategy, but this is just my two cents. I appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

[XenoFish]

As for preferring bad news. I just think our brains are wired for potential threats. 

[XenoFish]

Just now, Sherapy said:

I am working on no expectations, just accepting the moment and then proceeding from there. So far it is a pretty good strategy, but this is just my two cents. I appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

I'd really say it comes down to how emotionally you're invested in what you expect. Most things to me have become a yes/no dynamic. It will or won't be. 

[+Sherapy]

23 minutes ago, Xeno-Fish said:

I'd really say it comes down to how emotionally you're invested in what you expect. Most things to me have become a yes/no dynamic. It will or won't be. 

That is similar to me, I try to stay in the place of acceptance of what happens, to be in reality, get the clearest take I can and go from there. I am working on not living in a mindset of positive or negative as one is good and the other is bad. They both coexist to varying degrees in any situation and I can work with anything. It eliminates a lot of wasteful tripping on the past or worrying about the future and frees my time to be present with what is. I try and see things as an opportunity for something, I  just don’t know what the something is till it happens, then I go from there. 
 

I appreciate talking to you and Dee it helps me refine my understanding. Thank you both. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Sherapy

[Horta]

 

Quote

Does the public prefer bad news?

Absolutely. There's an old saying......."good news never made a paper sell". A lot of people simply aren't happy unless they're miserable lol, and seem to need something to hate. The rubbish that passes for "entertainment" itself is often reminiscent of the Orwellian "two minutes of hate per day" and actually gets people addicted to negative emotions. We are a weirdo species with a weird celebrity worshipping culture.

Unfortunately the real bad news that humanity should be concerned about doesn't get much of a look in. For example the rapidly shrinking biodiversity on our planet is and will be a problem for us and especially future generations, but we're too busy learning who we should hate via sensationalism and propaganda. Humans in large groups are very easily brainwashed. 'Twas ever thus.

 

 

[Hankenhunter]

On 4/11/2021 at 3:46 AM, ouija ouija said:

The first part of the above link is good but then it flies off at an unrealistic tangent(IMHO).

I get distressed, anxious and depressed very easily about bad stuff in the news but it helps if I can remind myself that, in the part of the world I live in, with my individual situation, there is in reality very little I need to worry about. And believe me, I am very grateful for that!

Excellent. Make your own reality, and stick within it. Most live quite ably this way. To much of any news will be bad news. Overstimulation leads to paranoia, depression, and anxiety. War is a good example of overstimulation. Like shell shock.

Check out any kid that gets too wound up. Like little crack heads from overstimulation. Add adults, firearms, alcohol, and BOOM! Cork pooped. People die. It's happening right now with Covid 19. 

[TashaMarie]

7 hours ago, Xeno-Fish said:

I know that I can no longer inhabit a "optimistic" reality tunnel. Once one illusion is broken the new one takes its place. While I might have moments of hopefulness and optimism, both are cut short by knowing that there is always a negative. In my mind I can see that there are good people, yet to me all their acts of kindness are driven by pure selfishness. They are only good because it makes the look good. 

I disagree with you about good people only being good because it makes them look good.  I agree that there are people out there that fit in that box perfectly but many more do it because they are just good people. 

[XenoFish]

2 hours ago, TashaMarie said:

I disagree with you about good people only being good because it makes them look good.  I agree that there are people out there that fit in that box perfectly but many more do it because they are just good people. 

I can only go from my reference point and I know it isn't an absolute. You could say it's an area of cognitive dissonance for me. I know there are good people who do it for the sake of it, yet I have trouble with resolving the motivations behind such act. Basically, I've got trust issues.