In a nutshell, we doomscroll because we are, unfortunately, kind of hardwired for it. Thank you, negativity bias!
Human beings are more attuned to negativity, danger, and threats because it helped our ancestors survive. The downside is that people tend to focus much more on negative news, content, and events, as well as traumatic experiences, versus positive, hopeful things.
Moreover, people tend to view negative information as more ‘truthful.’ Not only that, but negative events guide more of our decisions: human beings are more inclined to avoid losing something than they are to gain something new.
There is a balance that you ideally want to strike when it comes to the content you consume. You want to stay informed about what’s happening in the world as well as your local community, and you want to be aware of serious issues and threats. That being said, you also want to prioritize your mental health.
You don’t want to become a cynic, but nor do you want to embrace toxic positivity. You have to recognize that life is full of nuance, complexity, and shades of gray: it’s a mix of horrendous, devastating, beautiful, and uplifting things. The best approach is realistic optimism, where you stay positive and expect good things to happen while also accepting that problems exist and planning for them.
The distinction between regular, healthy scrolling and doomscrolling is simple. It’s all about the intent! In the former case, you are in the driver's seat, and you intentionally search for information or news. In the latter case, you feel a compulsive need to stay up to date with the latest news because it gives you a false sense of control.
One of the worst things that you can allow to happen to you is becoming a cynic. Cynicism, which posits that people are generally selfish, greedy, and dishonest, can often be confused with ‘wisdom,’ but it does more harm than good.
Psychology professor Jamil Zaki, from Stanford University, explained to Forbes that cynics intentionally look for evidence that supports their beliefs. In parallel, they dismiss evidence to the contrary, which shows that people can also be selfless, kind, and trustworthy.
Cynics tend to work against their own self-interest. They hurt their own quality of life. They’re less willing to put their trust in others, so they miss out on positive relationships and avoid collaborating with their coworkers.
Luckily, cynicism isn’t fatal. You can embrace a more nuanced mindset by changing your information consumption and socializing habits. Specifically, you should step back if you are constantly consuming negative news and social media content and spending your time with negative people.
Meanwhile, Dr. Zaki told Forbes that, nowadays, the media has evolved into “a kind of cynicism factory” that shows a warped, unbalanced version of reality.
“I’m not saying that media should focus only on rainbows and flowers and picnics, but I also think that in trying to point out harm and corruption, media and media companies in particular can often end up giving us a really skewed picture of what humanity is like by only reporting on the worst things that people do.”
Previously, Bored Panda had a fun and light-hearted yet in-depth conversation with the founder of the ‘Very Important Positivity’ (aka VIP) social media project, Elle McGann. She was happy to tell us all about the inspiration and motivation behind the VIP socials, optimism and happiness, as well as why internet users continue to flock to uplifting content.
"Initially, it [the page] was created to inspire by sharing people's achievements, allow people to share in the joy of the happy moments in life, and to be an alternative to the negative news and attitudes that can seem all-pervasive in modern life," McGann shared with us earlier, during an interview.
