Imagine how much sadness you were aware of before media, including books. You were only aware of sad events you experienced and stories you were told. All media thrives on sad stories, it is said “sex sells” but so does sadness. An example I avoid is whenever innocent people die in tragic situations, we are shown their pictures and told the great parts of their lives. They always want you to get to know the strangers whose lives have been cut short.

We also read about and watch happy events also, but I’m afraid we might be better wired to be more negatively affected by sad events, than buoyed by happy events. Possibly it’s easier to feel the sad lows than the euphoria of happy events.

I’ll surmise we’re built to tolerate dozens or hundreds of sad events in a lifetime before media. Now we read, watch or listen to thousands of sad events, maybe every year. Probably the onslaught makes many less happy as a result.

I've given up social media and pretty much all mainstream news and am much happier for it.

The MSM has their marching orders, and unfortunately, those orders are focused on sadness, despair, hate and division.

There’s a certain dwell time I’ll spend on any amount of negative or sad news or events. Maybe it has been the study of Marcus Aurelius and the greats Stoics that has trained my brain to focus more on the things in my control. I do not think we are programmed for sadness I think we have been conditioned to it.

I’ll also say in the times before the media, it was routine for children to die young, spouse dying in childbirth, or to be widowed and forced to re-marry just to survive. There was always sadness and tragedy. Life is difficult filled with challenges we cannot control. I do not want to push this away from your stated points, but this western conditioning parallels the push away from God and religion.

Happiness is a choice based upon mental conditioning. Bad shit happens to good people but there’s no gain from dwelling too long. You move on or get stuck.

It gets reported because people buy it in one form or another, even if it’s just clicks that get tallied up to the source’s benefit. And when people are willing to buy something, someone will supply it to them. It’s no different than drugs: There would be no drug “problem” and no importation and sales of them if there were no buyers. And none of that is a modern media phenomenon. My local small town newspaper dates back to the 1870s and they regularly publish articles from a century or more. Many of them are about sad or tragic events.

Much of why people buy stories about sad or tragic things is the satisfaction or relief they get from thinking—even subconsciously—“I’m glad (or proud) that wasn’t me.”

True story; I just moved from CA to TN onto 36 acres. In the middle of the property is a hollow with some cleared land. The hollow creates a quiet, almost park like setting (to include the bugs feeding on tasty humans.

So the point is, I finally got around to measuring out how big the hollow clearing is. I figured 4-6 acres. Turns out it is just at 2 acres.

Sad about it? Sure, for about 12 hours but if I didn't know it was only 2 acres, would I still be happy with my life and clearing it out down there - yup!! and even happier now that the humidity has relaxed a bit and I can work down there.

So when i read the news and see sadness, regardless of its form, I pray a little prayer for the subject of the media article and move on with my life.

Social media seems to encourage much of the hysteria we see on a regular basis.
Recent examples, Flock cameras & data center misinformation. Also, conspiracy theories, both old and new.
Half factual information seems to spread quickly and thrive there under online mob rule.

Didn't Don Henley write a song about the phenomenon......

Even worse, our brains aren't wired to grasp modern media replaying it over and over. As kids, we watch the same cartoon over and over even though we know how it ends. Something in our brain enjoys it almost as if it was novel each time. I believe it is the same with news stories. Every time they repeat a tragic story, to our brain it is as if multiple tragedies occurred, not just one.

We stopped watching the news years ago because of it. We avoid clicking links to tragic stories on online news sites.

Terrible things happen all the time everywhere. It doesn't enhance my life to know about them.

If it bleeds, it leads. Been that way forever with the MSM.

I just lost my Mother in law this morning. I found I can’t watch the news. I just don't see anything but bad news. And our country seems to be invaded by crazy people in politics wanting to tear down everything.

quote:

Originally posted by dking271:
Happiness is a choice based upon mental conditioning. Bad shit happens to good people but there’s no gain from dwelling too long. You move on or get stuck.

This right here is the key.

One of my children is a pity junky and is locked into a victim mentality. Sadly, her daughter learned from her Mom's example and is well down the same path.

My other daughter is the polar opposite. Hard as nails, outgoing, cheerful and has a "shit happens, get over it" attitude. I think that outlook had a huge impact on her successful battle with breast cancer.

Some people wallow in it, some people kick it's ass and move on.

quote:

Originally posted by DrWho:
I just lost my Mother in law this morning. I found I can’t watch the news. I just don't see anything but bad news. And our country seems to be invaded by crazy people in politics wanting to tear down everything.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

quote:

Originally posted by tigereye313:
I've given up social media and pretty much all mainstream news and am much happier for it.

I get most of my 'news' from here. And will look further into anything that isn't covered beyond a headline.

And I quit, but didn't disable, FB years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by tigereye313:
I've given up social media and pretty much all mainstream news and am much happier for it.

This...

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:

quote:

Originally posted by DrWho:
I just lost my Mother in law this morning. I found I can’t watch the news. I just don't see anything but bad news. And our country seems to be invaded by crazy people in politics wanting to tear down everything.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

Thank You