Images can powerful. Moving images perhaps even more so, and moving images accompanied by emotive music perhaps the most powerful.
In most parts of the world, we are informed of the "goings on" around us through some form of media.
Many of us have access to news 24/7 on our "I-Thingy", and the minute some disaster strikes, we will know about it.
Although a case can be made for the benefits of being up to date with current affairs, what is the balance of "good" versus "bad" news on offer through media and how does it affect us emotionally?
(Good= benevolent, positive, uplifting, encouraging.... and bad= the opposite)
Are we more interested in bad news than good?
Are we more willing to believe negative information about the natural and social environment than positive?
Some research seem to indicate that such is the case.
Let's try a statement; "there are just as many positive events taking place each day as negative."
Does that seem plausible to you?
How about; "there are more negative events taking place each day than positive."
More probable?
If our outlook is that the "bad stuff" outweighs the "good stuff", how does that affect us emotionally?
If there is the possibility to view the world through "rose-coloured glasses", is there also the possibility to view the world through "grey-coloured" ones?
(The term rose-coloured glasses appeared in 1861, when it is first recorded in 'Tom Brown at Oxford' by Thomas Hughes and basically means an optimistic outlook)
It does not take much effort to find information on negative and discouraging events taking place on this planet, rather, it is offered to us continuously in print, audibly, visibly, or through some interface.
"Yeah, but that's because that's how it is," some may say.
Is it?
There are many people who do good/positive things everyday un-noticed. Consider medical occupations, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, occupations involving any kind of nurturing, people tirelessly researching for new medications, people involved with inventing machines to aid and assist, people working in fire brigades, in the police force, et cetera.
How much coverage is given to "good" news, or are good news somehow less interesting than bad news?
Viktor Frankl writes that between an event and our response to the event, is a space in which we have the freedom to choose how to respond.
On occasion, black slugs find their way to my front outdoor sitting area. I know very little about these creatures but while watching one slowly nudging its way forward I noticed that every time its antennae(?) accidentally came in contact with something, it would pull it back in to its body. The interesting thing for me to watch was that after each encounter it seemed to take longer and longer for the slug to "trust" the environment to be safe enough to raise the antennae to its full potential again. "Is that how it is with us humans too?" I wondered.
After each "knock-back", do we take longer and longer to trust again, and if there are too many knock-backs, do we stop trusting all together?
Watching disaster after disaster, pain and suffering, one catastrophe after the other, how do we maintain any trust in the future, mankind or ourselves? Hmmmmmm....
If good news are not provided for us, perhaps we have to find them for ourselves?
Maybe there should be a law that says that any news, be it in print or otherwise, should contain a certain percentage of good news? How about at least 10% ?
Imagine opening the morning paper and reading: "Good News everyone! soandso saved soandso from a burning car!!!
or Good News everyone! a new medication for the previously incurable disease xxx has been discovered!!! or Good News everyone! 10 000 life saving blood transfusions were performed successfully today!!!
Imagine every news program finishing their broadcast with a good news item!
Something like: And now for the good news,...... Today x amount of people had successful life saving surgery, x amount of healthy babies were born, x amount of fires were successfully extinguished, x amount of criminal acts prevented, et cetera.
Thing is, these things and many more amazing good events actually do take place every day, its just that we don't get to hear about it in the news.
If you find something positive, share it with others.
Do something positive, for yourself and or for someone else.
Focus some of your attention on positive and life affirming things/events/people/information.
Bad stuff happens, but so does good.
“Do not dilute the truth of your potential. We often convince ourselves that we cannot change, that we cannot overcome the circumstances of our lives. That is simply not true. You have been blessed with immeasurable power to make positive changes in your life. But you can't just wish it, you can't just hope it, you can't just want it... you have to LIVE it, BE it, DO it.” (Steve Maraboli)
In most parts of the world, we are informed of the "goings on" around us through some form of media.
Many of us have access to news 24/7 on our "I-Thingy", and the minute some disaster strikes, we will know about it.
Although a case can be made for the benefits of being up to date with current affairs, what is the balance of "good" versus "bad" news on offer through media and how does it affect us emotionally?
(Good= benevolent, positive, uplifting, encouraging.... and bad= the opposite)
Are we more interested in bad news than good?
Are we more willing to believe negative information about the natural and social environment than positive?
Some research seem to indicate that such is the case.
Let's try a statement; "there are just as many positive events taking place each day as negative."
Does that seem plausible to you?
How about; "there are more negative events taking place each day than positive."
More probable?
If our outlook is that the "bad stuff" outweighs the "good stuff", how does that affect us emotionally?
If there is the possibility to view the world through "rose-coloured glasses", is there also the possibility to view the world through "grey-coloured" ones?
(The term rose-coloured glasses appeared in 1861, when it is first recorded in 'Tom Brown at Oxford' by Thomas Hughes and basically means an optimistic outlook)
It does not take much effort to find information on negative and discouraging events taking place on this planet, rather, it is offered to us continuously in print, audibly, visibly, or through some interface.
"Yeah, but that's because that's how it is," some may say.
Is it?
There are many people who do good/positive things everyday un-noticed. Consider medical occupations, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, occupations involving any kind of nurturing, people tirelessly researching for new medications, people involved with inventing machines to aid and assist, people working in fire brigades, in the police force, et cetera.
How much coverage is given to "good" news, or are good news somehow less interesting than bad news?
Viktor Frankl writes that between an event and our response to the event, is a space in which we have the freedom to choose how to respond.
On occasion, black slugs find their way to my front outdoor sitting area. I know very little about these creatures but while watching one slowly nudging its way forward I noticed that every time its antennae(?) accidentally came in contact with something, it would pull it back in to its body. The interesting thing for me to watch was that after each encounter it seemed to take longer and longer for the slug to "trust" the environment to be safe enough to raise the antennae to its full potential again. "Is that how it is with us humans too?" I wondered.
After each "knock-back", do we take longer and longer to trust again, and if there are too many knock-backs, do we stop trusting all together?
Watching disaster after disaster, pain and suffering, one catastrophe after the other, how do we maintain any trust in the future, mankind or ourselves? Hmmmmmm....
If good news are not provided for us, perhaps we have to find them for ourselves?
Maybe there should be a law that says that any news, be it in print or otherwise, should contain a certain percentage of good news? How about at least 10% ?
Imagine opening the morning paper and reading: "Good News everyone! soandso saved soandso from a burning car!!!
or Good News everyone! a new medication for the previously incurable disease xxx has been discovered!!! or Good News everyone! 10 000 life saving blood transfusions were performed successfully today!!!
Imagine every news program finishing their broadcast with a good news item!
Something like: And now for the good news,...... Today x amount of people had successful life saving surgery, x amount of healthy babies were born, x amount of fires were successfully extinguished, x amount of criminal acts prevented, et cetera.
Thing is, these things and many more amazing good events actually do take place every day, its just that we don't get to hear about it in the news.
If you find something positive, share it with others.
Do something positive, for yourself and or for someone else.
Focus some of your attention on positive and life affirming things/events/people/information.
Bad stuff happens, but so does good.
“Do not dilute the truth of your potential. We often convince ourselves that we cannot change, that we cannot overcome the circumstances of our lives. That is simply not true. You have been blessed with immeasurable power to make positive changes in your life. But you can't just wish it, you can't just hope it, you can't just want it... you have to LIVE it, BE it, DO it.” (Steve Maraboli)
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