I have an issue with you. Not you directly, but rather article-reading folks like you. But first, I would like to know why you read certain articles, whether they come from online, the paper, or a magazine. What draws you in? Perhaps it is the writer or the source. I have a feeling, though, that you’re attracted to headlines. You’re attracted to bad news. You want to be “in” on what is happening around you. I applaud you for doing so and staying current with our world’s issues. I applaud you for doing so and staying current with our world’s issues. Did you read that differently? Does it make you think twice about what you’re actually spending time reading?
Time and time again I find myself reading negative articles online—everything from as horrifying as a mass shooting to as simple as an Odyssey article, like this, talking about why something sucks. Why are we attracted to bad news? What, as humans, makes us crave the negative?
According to Ray Williams’ article “Why We Love Bad News More Than Good News,” humans negative tripwires are more sensitive and therefore triggered easily. This is only one of several theories he presents as probable reasons for our love of negativity. Regardless of why this happens, I’m upset that as intelligent human beings, we haven’t done anything to change. We continue to go on and on with bad news, sharing it, and sometimes including false information, because who doesn’t love drama?
I’m tired of writing positive, soul-enriching articles which I know will have poor response. My goal as a writer isn’t just to please the audience—it’s to please myself. I’m not going to write “10 Reasons I Hate the Holidays” or anything along that line because I’m working hard to be a glass-half-full person. I’m done reading news that is glass-half-empty, and you should be done too. So many people have told me that they are tired of spending time on social media because their news feed is only ever cluttered with negativity. I want to challenge you to change that. Read, share, and write things that spread love, hope, and humanity. Don’t waste your time getting upset over articles that grabbed your attention with headlines like this one. I’m quite ashamed myself, actually, that I even had to give this article such a crass title just to get your attention. This holiday season, especially, I challenge you to think glass-half-full. Or, as my grandpa shared with us this Thanksgiving: be thankful you even have a glass.
