In this engaging conversation, John Tierney, co-author of "The Power of Bad," dives into the intriguing concept of the negativity effect and its profound impact on human behavior. He explains why bad experiences outweigh good ones and shares how this bias influences parenting, criticism, and even religious beliefs. The discussion highlights strategies for effectively delivering and receiving feedback, the contagious nature of negativity, and the challenges posed by social media. Throughout, Tierney offers insights on harnessing the power of bad while mitigating its effects.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Baumeister's Relationship Study
Roy Baumeister tracked his relationship satisfaction for six months.
He found a consistent ratio of two good days for every bad day.
insights INSIGHT
Bad is Stronger Than Good
Loss aversion shows people value avoiding losses more than acquiring gains.
This is reflected in various areas like first impressions and parenting.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
The Rule of Four
Aim for at least four good things to offset one bad thing.
This "rule of four" helps counteract the negativity effect.
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How the Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It
Roy Baumeister
John Tierney
In 'The Power of Bad', John Tierney and Roy F. Baumeister discuss the negativity effect, which is the universal tendency for negative events and emotions to affect us more strongly than positive ones. The book explains why bad experiences stick with us longer than good ones, how this bias governs our moods, drives marketing, and dominates news and politics. It also offers practical strategies to recognize and manage this negativity bias, helping readers to avoid its pitfalls and use its power for positive results[3][4][6].
Have you ever been heaped with praise, only to ignore it in favor of focusing on the lone piece of criticism you received?
That's the power that bad things wield, and it's a power that humans need to learn how to both harness and mitigate.
My guest today lays out both sides of that coin in a book he co-authored with psychologist Roy Baumeister. His name is John Tierney and the book is The Power of Bad: How the Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It. We begin our conversation discussing how much stronger bad is than good, and how many good things it takes to offset a single bad one. We then dig into the implications of the fact that bad things have a much stronger impact than good ones, including how you really only need to be a good enough parent to your kids, the best way to deliver criticism to others, and why religions that emphasize Hell have historically won more adherents than those that focus on Heaven. We also talk about how negativity is contagious and why it's true that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch. We end our conversation with a look at whether or not social media is a negative force in our lives, and John's advice on how to not let those he calls "the merchants of bad" in the media make us think that things in the world are worse than they really are.
Lots of insights in this show on how both to use the power of bad to your advantage, and overcome its negative effects.
The Art of Manliness 
