Let's face it. In a world filled with negativity, a little bit of wholesome content can go a long way. Posts that bring on a warm, fuzzy feeling often help to lift our spirits, even in the darkest of times. They're like the sustenance we need when we're facing depletion.
"I imagine it like a nutrient deficiency; my fingernails are brittle when I’m not taking my calcium supplements regularly," writes Emily McGowan, the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. "Likewise, my heart gets brittle when I forget to practice presence — to slow down and smell the clean fur of a sun-drenched puppy. (Is there any other smell that matters?)"
Wholesome moments are everywhere, she says, if only we’ll pay attention.
More and more people are actively seeking out wholesome content in a bid to feel better about life and the world. One international study by Kantar found that seven in ten people say they try to be optimistic despite the ongoing global economic uncertainty.
“People specifically seek out content for self-care, to help regulate their mood,” says Earnest Pettie, a YouTube specialist in culture and trends. And other experts agree.
“People feel calmer, more relaxed, and even more generous and altruistic when they connect to wholesome content,” explains Amitav Chakravarti, a professor of marketing at the London School of Economics.
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Even the experts themselves are turning to "feel-good" content to get through the day.
“I’ll keep up to date with the top news stories - as dark as they are, I force myself to look at them because it's the stuff you need to know," says Nancy Puccinelli, a professor of marketing at the University of Bath and a fellow at the University of Oxford.
“But I generally find that as I'm trying to relax in the evening, I’ll get sucked into a Google feed that will tell me about how to repurpose my coffee grounds to fertilise my lawn and how a new restaurant is opening nearby," she adds.
Chakravarti says that the desire for wholesome content can be put down to the human desire for affiliation with others. And wholesome content often provides this by way of human connection.
But there's another scientific explanation...
"When watching feel-good, wholesome content, the body releases dopamine, the chemical responsible for motivation, satisfaction and pleasure," explains Mailine Swildens, the head of Google’s Creative Works team in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. "Humans are hard-wired to seek out positive experiences as dopamine helps to control memory, sleep, and concentration."
"Wholesomeness offers us an escape and also invites us into remembering that the world isn’t all bad," agrees McGowan. "As we’re all confronted with loss, even a simple shock of generosity or a kind word from a stranger on the internet can zap us back into why we’re here. It can make the big things feel worth fighting for."
Or, at least, she says, it’ll warm our hearts until we’re rested and ready to pick back up on the fight.
