Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Why Is Bad News The Only News?

I think many people should read “Bad News Bias” in the New York Times this morning. I think it is quite insightful. On the other hand, I have thought for years that people loved bad news and even created their own stories if they could not get enough. 

Is this because it is what people have been expecting for so many years? Do the “Bad News” headlines grab an audience? Are we such a depressed group of people that we are only attracted to stories loaded with downers? Is this what is wrong with the nation? Or perhaps the world? 

Disclaimer: Since 1997 I have not read but one newspaper, and I find TV news rather depressing – especially the late news – it will give me a bad night. 

Not all headlines are bad, however, headlines are written with the intent to GRAB you. If you are looking for bad news, and today that appears to be the essence of a great number of people’s thinking, some headlines will really give you what you could be looking for.  

Here are a couple of headlines on the front page today which I thought would be intriguing for some.  

  • “Survivors Describe ‘Listening to Him Kill Everyone You Know.’”
    • Horrific, would not read this and consider the headline gruesome.  
  • “Why ‘Cursed’ Olympics in Japan Are Pressing Ahead Amid a Pandemic.” 
    • Hmm…”Cursed” – already a dire prediction for the Olympics by the writer - don't go.  
  • “Politicians Behaving Badly.”
    • Now this could be one to read just to have a laugh – and it doesn’t matter the party. 
  • “Officer Brian Sicknick Died After the Capitol Riot. New Videos Show His Attack.” 
    • See the answer to the first one above.
    • I would almost put money on those video’s being an attraction. 

Perhaps it is this bad news fixation which is supporting the anger culture of the American people. I do not think the media is responsible, but I do think it has the potential to feed it. It could also have the potential to change it, but his would be to over the top to consider.

Why do we get joyful over other’s misfortunes? Is it because we are looking for people in worse conditions than we are? There appears to be a consensus of finding others to blame for our own bad times and we are joyful in their troubles. I guess this is something I just do not understand. 

I do not understand bigotry either, but that is another story, or is it?

Additional disclaimer: I get most of the news I want digitally, including The New York Times. My other sources are Microsoft, Google, Apple, and ESPN – when my team is winning. 😊 

I do see headlines as I am on the web a great deal, then again, instead of grabbing me they often turn me off. But I bet you would have guessed that.