The Business of Outrage
Do you often feel outraged or angry about online news? Many news websites no longer just report events; instead, they openly stoke your indignation—to boost their page views.
Sally Kohn delves into the phenomenon of clickbait—attention-grabbing headlines designed to attract clicks, often at the expense of quality and accuracy. She highlights how anger and outrage spread rapidly online, fueled by social platforms that prioritize these emotions for engagement and clicks, for the benefit of their algorithms.
This “economy of outrage” compels us to react instinctively to content that irritates or shocks us, further contributing to polarization and fostering a confrontational online environment.
While this type of content sparks immediate reactions, it also perpetuates a toxic cycle where individuals are repeatedly exposed to messages that sustain hostility and division.
Kohn urges reflection and mindfulness to avoid being swept away by the constant stream of outrage. She calls for individual and collective awareness: choosing to click on informative and authentic content, taking the time to read from diverse sources, stepping back before reacting, and intentionally exposing oneself to opposing viewpoints. These practices, she argues, can help reclaim mental and emotional balance and foster more constructive online interactions.
That was in 2014… Safe to say, her advice hasn’t been widely heeded.
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