Are We Addicted to Outrage?

[DanOregon]

Somehow came across the old video of Roseanne singing the National Anthem (badly) and remembered how it became a national thing with even President Bush commenting on it. Seems so quaint now. But I do wonder, is our nation addicted to outrage?
The news isn't even the news anymore, its who is pissed off about what and why - and Cancel Culture, and goodness knows what else.
I really don't understand it. Obama having a birthday party gets more attention than a big ass infrastructure bill.

 

[Spartan Squad]

I’m outraged you started a thread calling out my outrage

 

[Songbird]

Obama is an asshole for having that party. It's bad optics.

 

[Spartan Squad]

But on a serious note, some outrage is good. The “cancel culture” that has some segments up in arms is the result of society no longer tolerating monuments to racism and giving airtime to rapists. Does it go too far sometimes? Yeah sure. But we’re correcting to something necessary.

As for our political climate, it’s all about who loses. We no longer care about actually doing something so long as we can blame it on the other guys. And that is a travesty. TV networks have become partisan to attract viewers and in so doing, it perpetuates how one side tried their best but those evil other guys wouldn’t let it happen.

 

[Alma]

Yes, people are addicted to outrage. The media covers things in a way that fuel the outrage. And now performative outrage is a thing. Being as mad as hell, offended as hell, serious as hell, etc. And, of course, you have the "my outrage is the correct outrage, so it's acceptable outrage" perspective.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Republicans are.

 

[jackfinarelli]

I find the avatar of the originator of this thread highly appropriate for the topic of "outrage"...

 

[TigerVols]

We live in a Grievance Nation*


*the title of my next book.

 

[FileNotFound]

The business model of broadcast media is dependent on viewers “staying tuned.” Stoking outrage is the best way to ensure this. “Stay tuned for more things that’ll **** you off!”

 

[Oggiedoggie]

Have you tried turning it off and then back on again?

 

[Neutral Corner]

You'd be amazed at how little TV I watch, but yes, everyone's outraged about something, and I'm as guilty as anyone else.

 

[MTM]

Are we more addicted or do we just have a wider audience? Years ago if you went to McDonald's and they forgot to put your French fries in your bag, you would go home and complain to your family. Now you post it on social media and everyone you know chimes in about their bad experience at any restaurant and it comes out like it was some evil plot and no one should ever eat there again instead of a busy 17-year-old who made a mistake.

 

[HanSenSE]

I blame soccer.

 

[maumann]

Have you tried turning it off and then back on again?

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

**** YOU

i insulted you plz respond

 

[sgreenwell]

**** YOU

i insulted you plz respond

debate me u coward

 

[WriteThinking]

I don't think people are experiencing much genuine outrage at all. I actually think it's the opposite -- that people have gotten very complacent. Whatever they do say, think or express, however, is amplified not only by mass media, social media and MSM but also the greater permissiveness and the acceptance of and openness with regard to...well, everything. It's noisier than it used to be, and the noise is louder.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

#embracethedebate

 

[DanOregon]

Read a bit about the psychology of online trolling and the "Dark Triad" (interesting stuff actually). Apparently its all about loneliness. It's as if people don't so much want to "make a sale" in the marketplace of ideas, they just want to be noticed - so they raise their voice rather than sharpening their argument. The point isn't to "win" a discussion, but to "stand out" with the loudest, most jaw-dropping opinion.

 

[garrow]

We? Not me. I'm addicted to YouTube videos of Werner Herzog talking about the jungle.

"There is a lot of misery. It is the same misery that is all around us. The trees here are in misery and the birds are in misery. I don't think they sing. They just screech in pain."



"It is like a curse weighing on an entire landscape. And whoever goes too deep into this has his share of that curse. It is a land that God, if he exists, has created in anger."