Question Everything For A Change In Outlook
What if I told you there is a new drug that is super addictive, gets people instantly hooked and will cause a misperception of risk, increased anxiety, lower mood levels, learned helplessness, contempt towards others, and deep desensitization. Would we use it? Well, we do and daily. It's called the news and we have access to it 24/7 on the internet. - Rutger Bregman | Humankind
I know, that's a rather bold statement about the place where most spend every waking minute but hear me out. I want my children to understand how the internet works and learn to question everything.
When it comes to the internet, do they understand:
The impact of the media on our mental outlook?
How media organizations work?
Most importantly, the impact that the internet has on our mental health and outlook.
Disclaimer #1 - I am railing against the internet where I have spent my life working in media and making my living - the irony is not lost.
Here is a quick primer on how the internet works from my 30+ years in media.
When looking at the internet, understand that there is far more supply than demand.
The internet and the rise of social media have created a massive surplus of ways to get the news.
Every media organization knows this and understands that the almighty dollar keeps them in business.
Sites naturally feel pressure to stand out, so they feed on our fear and share the worst behavior to get your attention.
The worst behavior climbs to the top of search results and feeds. If you don't believe me, google just about anything in the news and see what the first page of results gives you.
What effect does constantly seeing negative news have on our outlook? We form obsessive urges to consume negative news, aka doomscrolling. Studies have linked this consistent consumption of bad news to increased distress, anxiety and depression, even when the news in question is relatively tame.
Disclaimer #2 - In no way am I insinuating that there is no suffering in the world. I lost two parents indirectly during the last two years of COVID.
We CAN have a more realistic outlook and better approach to the internet. For context, look what I found with just a bit of effort.
We are decent people overall. Is much of the behavior we see on the top searches of google the norm or an outlier? History shows that it's an outlier.
When adversity strikes, history repeatedly shows a wave of spontaneous cooperation, bringing out our best behavior. Since 1963, the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center has conducted nearly 700 field studies on floods and earthquakes, and on-site research reveals the same results every time: the vast majority of people stay calm and help each other.
You will likely live longer. Two hundred years ago, most human beings would live to about 30-40 years old. If you did survive childhood; 40 percent of us would die before age five. Today, life expectancy has increased globally by more than six years since 2010.
Poverty across the world has fallen. In the last 20 years, the number of people living in extreme poverty has more than halved, one of the greatest achievements in recent human history.
Crime in America is down. The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that the rate of violent crimes per 1,000 Americans age 12 and older plummeted from 80 in 1993 to just 23 in 2018. The country as a whole has gotten much safer.
Solar Power has never been cheaper. No doubt that we have a lot of work to do when it comes to climate change, but solar power has never been more affordable. The price of solar panels, inverters, and lithium batteries has gotten cheaper over the past ten years. Prices are expected to continue to drop over the long term.
I am not trying to discount the pain, challenges and suffering in the world, but I want my kids (and all of you interested) to evaluate what they read differently and recognize the internet for what it is.
The internet has made it easier than ever for people to make money
What continues to rise to the top of searches is negative behavior, fear and distrust
We tend to focus on the worst behaviors and those are the outliers, not the norm
Recognizing this skewed view of the world impacts our outlook and approach to life
Ideally, we would take a stand and turn the internet off but that's not realistic. But here's how we can cultivate a more consistent realistic outlook:
Question everything - when you read an article or watch a video or TikTok, practice questioning what you see and hear.
Evaluate the source - Is this source authoritative, what is their background in that field, and does the writer or the source have the credentials and research to back up their claims correctly?
Look for other points of view - don't take what you believe entirely from one source. Look for different sources and mediums and see if the same answer keeps coming up.
Do your research - Take the opposite stance and question the claim. Research opposing views, compare both sides and form your answer from the middle.
Do not just read the headlines - Headlines for articles are clickbait and are intended to lead you into the article. Do not ever form your views on a headline only, and read the full article for the complete picture.
The internet has been one of our greatest inventions, but a healthy bit of skepticism and a proper outlook can help our kids, and the next generations limit the impact on their outlook and health.
I'm off my soapbox now and happy to hear your thoughts - but please recognize the spirit of the article and keep the gloves on.