We live in a culture of outrage. The news media and social media intentionally feed this culture.
It’s an enemy of intentional living because it’s pure manipulation. It’s the opposite of thoughtful and deliberate reasoning and thinking. It’s the direct result of news media and social media using “click-bait” to grab your attention and manipulate your emotions for their financial benefit.
As Johann Hari writes in his book Stolen Focus, “But today, this attitude—condemn more, understand less—has become the default response of almost everyone, from the right to the left, as we spend our lives dancing to the tune of algorithms that reward fury and penalize mercy.”
Why Do the News Media and Social Media Promote Outrage Culture?
The news and social media promote outrage culture because it makes them more money or promotes their political bias. This is true on both sides of the political spectrum.
They know people are attracted to negative stories that elicit a strong emotional response. It’s pure clickbait that seeks to give people an emotional experience. It’s a programmed response.
It works because people enjoy the emotional experience of being outraged. It makes them feel superior and righteous and like they are doing something positive (which they are not).
Many people don’t take the time or effort to think about what is being said, seek the facts, or learn about the whole story. It’s pure Pavlovian response — read and be outraged.
We are being manipulated and used for someone’s profit, either financially or politically.
Ask These Questions to Avoid Falling Victim to Outrage Culture
• Is this accurate?
Politics seems particularly inclined to use outrage culture to push their bias. This is true both on the right and the left. They often get the facts wrong or leave out important facts.
An Example: During the Trump Administration, major news media released stories condemning the Trump Administration for placing immigrant children in “cages.” Thousands of memes with this same information appeared on social media, sparking outrage.
Congressional members expressed their outrage, and social media went ballistic on the story. Everyone was outraged at Trump for his inhumanity to children.
Later the Snopes Fact Checkers confirmed that these “cages” were first funded, built, and used to house immigrant children during the Obama administration. The Trump administration inherited this practice from the Obama administration. This is a great example of an Outrage Culture event that was not fully factual.
• Is the source providing facts to allow readers to draw conclusions, or is it pushing conclusions?
Do they have an axe to grind, and are they trying to use this to promote their agenda? If so, be very cautious before allowing yourself to jump to outrage.
• Are there other facts involved that I’m not aware of?
What was the context? What facts is the source not telling me? Does this appear to be a comprehensive report or an inflammatory meme on social media?
• Am I tempted to jump immediately to outrage because I want to believe this because it promotes my own bias?
As humans, we recognize that we all have biases. We often believe the things we want to believe. One of the most valuable assets we can have is knowledge and awareness of our own biases.
How To Avoid Outrage Culture
1. One of the best ways to avoid Outrage Culture is to eliminate common sources of manipulation. If a source regularly uses outrage to manipulate readers, I don’t reward them by reading their articles.
I’m always looking for news sources with less political bias (either right or left). If a news source tells me what to think and what conclusions to draw, I avoid it. “Just tell me the facts, ma’am.” I want to do my own thinking, thank you.
I have unsubscribed blogs that tend to play up outrage or use clickbait emotional headlines. This includes several Apple tech blogs that are continually outraged by whatever Elon Musk does with Twitter or feel they have to push their own political agenda.
2. Look for complex information, not simple.
More complex information avoids Outrage Culture by presenting many aspects of a situation or idea. Instead of seeking a single emotional response, more complex information aims to inform. There is always more than one side to any story.
“As consumers of information, we have a role to play in embracing a more nuanced point of view. When we’re reading, listening, or watching, we can learn to recognize complexity as a signal of credibility. We can favor content and sources that present many sides of an issue rather than just one or two.” Think Again, by Adam Grant.
3. It’s OK to withhold judgment when everyone around you gives in to outrage.
Sometimes, it’s difficult to withhold judgment when all your friends are outraged due to something they’ve read. Peer pressure is real, even for adults.
Don’t let other people, even friends and colleagues, determine your emotions and thoughts. Maintain your independent judgment.
You may not get to choose what information you’re exposed to, but you can choose how you will respond to it.