Are We Addicted to Outrage?

Somehow came across the old video of Roseanne singing the National Anthem (badly) and remembered how it became a national thing with even President Bush commenting on it. Seems so quaint now. But I do wonder, is our nation addicted to outrage?
The news isn't even the news anymore, its who is pissed off about what and why - and Cancel Culture, and goodness knows what else.
I really don't understand it. Obama having a birthday party gets more attention than a big ass infrastructure bill.

 

I’m outraged you started a thread calling out my outrage

 

Obama is an asshole for having that party. It's bad optics.

 

But on a serious note, some outrage is good. The “cancel culture” that has some segments up in arms is the result of society no longer tolerating monuments to racism and giving airtime to rapists. Does it go too far sometimes? Yeah sure. But we’re correcting to something necessary.

As for our political climate, it’s all about who loses. We no longer care about actually doing something so long as we can blame it on the other guys. And that is a travesty. TV networks have become partisan to attract viewers and in so doing, it perpetuates how one side tried their best but those evil other guys wouldn’t let it happen.

 

Yes, people are addicted to outrage. The media covers things in a way that fuel the outrage. And now performative outrage is a thing. Being as mad as hell, offended as hell, serious as hell, etc. And, of course, you have the "my outrage is the correct outrage, so it's acceptable outrage" perspective.

 

Republicans are.

 

I find the avatar of the originator of this thread highly appropriate for the topic of "outrage"...

 

We live in a Grievance Nation*


*the title of my next book.

 

The business model of broadcast media is dependent on viewers “staying tuned.” Stoking outrage is the best way to ensure this. “Stay tuned for more things that’ll piss you off!”

 

Have you tried turning it off and then back on again?

 

You'd be amazed at how little TV I watch, but yes, everyone's outraged about something, and I'm as guilty as anyone else.

 

Are we more addicted or do we just have a wider audience? Years ago if you went to McDonald's and they forgot to put your French fries in your bag, you would go home and complain to your family. Now you post it on social media and everyone you know chimes in about their bad experience at any restaurant and it comes out like it was some evil plot and no one should ever eat there again instead of a busy 17-year-old who made a mistake.