Unexplainable Good news for people who love bad news
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Aug 4, 2025 
In this captivating discussion, Bryan Walsh, senior editorial director at Vox and the voice behind the Good News newsletter, tackles the challenge of finding positivity in a sea of negativity. He explores why uplifting stories struggle to gain traction in the media and reveals surprising improvements in societal trends, like declining murder rates. The conversation also delves into the power of storytelling as a tool for resilience, urging listeners to embrace a more hopeful perspective amidst the chaos.
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Good News Needs Context
- Good news often requires longer context and affects many people over years to be appreciated.
- This makes it harder to report and notice compared to immediate negative events.
Negativity Bias Shapes Reality
- Negativity bias makes us focus on bad events, shaping our perception of reality.
- We tend to perceive a bleak world because negative events capture our attention more.
Rare Negatives Outweigh Positives
- Rare negative events stick in our minds more than common positive outcomes.
- This causes us to ignore the millions of safe, successful experiences around us.