AB's Reflections

Tag: outrage

  • Coping with outrage fatigue

    Coping with outrage fatigue

    Came across this interesting article on Scientific American which talks about outrage fatigue. Converted into a short podcast using HeyGen:

    Here’s the NotebookLM version for comparison which has a more emotive take on things:

    Are you feeling emotionally exhausted by the constant barrage of depressing news about political events, wars, and climate disasters? You might be experiencing outrage fatigue. This phenomenon occurs when repeated exposure to outrage-inducing content leads to feeling withdrawn and like resistance is futile.

    What is Outrage Fatigue?

    Outrage is a response to a perceived transgression against what we consider right and wrong. It can be functional for groups, drawing attention to issues and catalysing collective action. However, constant outrage, especially along group identity lines, can create hostility and conflict, leading to psychological exhaustion.

    How Outrage Manifests

    • Group Level: Constant outrage at a group level can lead to a sense of being jaded, making it hard to focus on what truly matters.
    • Individual Level: Some people become “super-outrage producers,” while others withdraw, feeling isolated or afraid to express their opinions. High levels of negative emotions, including outrage, can be taxing, leading individuals to regulate their emotions.

    The Role of Social Media

    Social media algorithms can amplify outrage content, making it seem more widespread than it is. This can lead to feeling turned off from political participation, even if the outrage isn’t representative of the broader group’s feelings.

    Combatting Outrage Fatigue

    • Local Involvement: Engage in local community politics to build a feeling of safety and understanding. This allows for concrete actions and a sense of direct impact.
    • Directed Outrage: Focused outrage is more effective as you know what it’s for and what outcomes you’re seeking.
    • Alter Your Social Media Ecosystem: Change your online environment by engaging with different content if you feel overwhelmed.

    Outrage as a Political Tool

    Outrage can be weaponised to divide groups. For example, stoking outrage on issues like immigration or abortion can distract people from economic policies that harm them.

    Final Thoughts

    It’s essential to be aware and experience outrage while staying grounded in local communities. Direct your outrage towards concrete actions and be mindful of the media you consume to avoid fatigue.

    via https://kottke.org/25/02/0046166-outrage-fatigue-is-real-t

  • Outraging over the outraged

    An article reflecting the current times – On Social Media, Some Are Susceptible to Internet Outrage – NYTimes.com

    • anger is the emotion that spreads the most easily over social media. Joy came in a distant second.
    • although we tend to share the happiness only of people we are close to, we are willing to join in the rage of strangers
    • As the study suggests, outrage is lavishly rewarded on social media, whether through supportive comments, retweets or Facebook likes.
    • People who rant online in any way tend to get into more physical and verbal altercations.”
    • previous research on catharsis shows that people who vent end up being angrier down the road
    • outrage carries a different flavor from pure anger; it suggests an affront to one’s value system as opposed to seething, Hulk-like fury
    • The emotion plays well on social media because of its brevity and conviction, too. A 700-word Facebook post accounting for all sides of a contentious issue is unlikely to garner as many readers and endorsements as a one-sentence quip blaring heightened feelings.
    • One type of outrage is particularly appealing on social media: comedic anger. A bitingly clever takedown is sure to be circulated, though it is usually the same brand of hostility veiled in amusement. (hopefully my posts are along these lines rather than outright outrage)
    • we get upset only when our own privacy is compromised, not that of others
    • outraged comments are sometimes more offensive than the originating misconduct
    • Mobs breed a sense of anonymity
    • Though we are quick to condemn callousness and prejudice as a form of bullying, we less readily interrogate our own participation, even as bystanders, in the widespread attack of a single person, which is a classic example of bullying. We may justify our reaction as appropriate remediation for whatever crime has been perpetrated, but fighting fire with fire rarely elevates the discourse.
    • It is a noble endeavor to become incensed about a cause and risk arrest or toil without acclamation for one’s deeply held beliefs. Less honorable is joining a digital pile-on as a means of propping up one’s ego, even if it comes in the form of entertaining zings.

    • Perhaps the real problem, Professor Martin suggested, isn’t our rage but our rashness, and its relationship to our easily accessible devices.

      “The Internet exacerbates impulse-control problems,” he said. “You get mad, and you can tell the world about it in moments before you’ve had a chance to calm down and think things through.”