Where is All This Anger Coming From?

When we scroll through social media, we often see people expressing their anger through reckless comments, seemingly unconcerned about how their words might hurt others.

People express whatever comes to mind immediately, and these expressions are becoming increasingly personal and hateful.

Most people feel that hateful criticisms, misinformation, and disinformation have come to dominate social media.

In the past, we socialised in coffee shops, tea houses, and other social gatherings.

Today, these traditional platforms have largely been replaced by digital platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, and so on.

But we should recognise that social media, in reality, is a valuable asset and a gift of modern technology.

People are, by nature, obsessed with gossiping. And to do this, people use social platforms.

The human gene named FOXP2 is responsible for the habit of gossiping. Gossiping enables humans to develop their spoken language.

Therefore, these social networks are inevitable for human existence.

The media has an important responsibility in bringing events, truth, and facts to the public.

Because of the media, everyone now has access to express their feelings, emotions, and opinions.

Furthermore, everyone in society can act as a watchdog, making society more transparent and less corrupt. However, these platforms are now also blamed as a medium for spreading negativity.

By nature, humans have a strong obsession with sensational and negative news. They prioritise sensational content, focusing on views over media ethics.

This tendency is boosting misinformation and disinformation.

The main reason is that social media is accessible to everyone, including those who lack knowledge of media ethics.

Yet, research has shown that the negative impact accounts for only 3–4% compared to the positive benefits.

Today’s social platforms offer a wide range of opportunities for everyone.

In the past, people had limited ways to raise their voice against the government, mainly through street protests, which sometimes led to vandalism.

Vandalism costs a lot of money due to the unwanted physical damage, and it can even result in human casualties.

Slowly, social media has become the primary platform for expressing concerns, disagreements, and criticism.

It has also become one of the main ways people view and understand the world.

Anger and frustration exist in every society, and people often feel that the problems they are facing are the greatest.

Many believe that all the negative or bizarre things are happening only to them or around them.

They may even feel that their society is the worst it has ever been, and that the past was better than the present.

However, their beliefs are often not supported by data. In his book, “Enlightenment Now (2018),” Harvard Professor Steven Pinker demonstrates, using extensive evidence, that today’s world is more prosperous, safer, and happier than ever before.

One of the major sources of anger and frustration is global politics.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, liberal capitalism and democracy spread worldwide.

Human progress was remarkable; for example, poverty reduction, a significant decline in maternal and infant mortality rates, wider access to education, and longer average life expectancy.

Further, the world also achieved a high level of harmony and integration among societies.

Meanwhile, flourishing liberalism and capitalism left social justice neglected. On the other hand, climate crises and widening inequalities created dissatisfaction among the people.

Furthermore, migrants from poor countries began to swarm into the developed countries, bringing fear among the native citizens.

Many were concerned that their traditional values were under threat. In response to all of the above reasons, dissatisfaction and anger have grown across societies.

Swedish professor Hans Rosling talks about blaming culture and human misconceptions in his book ‘Factfulness’.

People overrate a person for a single good performance and expect them to perform at the same level always, which is unrealistic.

Because humans are bound to make mistakes. On the flip side, they harshly demonise them when they inevitably fall short.

In such cases, our concerns should be on the flaws within the system, not on an individual.

Developing a good system is far more important than looking for a charismatic leader who has magic to sweep away all the problems.

Rosling suggests that we should look for causes, not culprits, and choose solutions that strengthen the system rather than elevating any single individual.

When we understand the reality behind global progress, we will be less anxious and more constructive.

If you found this worth reading, even a small gesture of support means a lot.

(This story was originally published on Medium.com)