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ReThinking

How to stop doom scrolling — and have a better experience online with Jay Van Bavel

Sep 10, 2024
Jay Van Bavel, an award-winning psychology and neural science professor at NYU, tackles the psychological fallout of doom scrolling. He discusses how sensational negative news captures our attention and the importance of mindful online habits. Van Bavel shares insights from his book, advocating for uplifting content to combat anxiety among youth. The conversation also explores bridging generational divides and the duality of national identity, particularly at the Olympics, emphasizing unity while navigating tribalism.
33:56

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Negative news dominates media engagement due to its emotional impact, leading to a cycle of increased negativity and divisiveness.
  • Curating social media feeds by prioritizing uplifting content significantly enhances well-being and fosters community connection and understanding.

Deep dives

The Impact of Negative News on Mental Health

The pervasive nature of negative news in today's media landscape contributes significantly to individuals' emotional well-being. Research indicates that headlines designed to invoke fear or anger are more successful in attracting clicks, leading to a cycle where media outlets prioritize such content for engagement metrics. This feeds into an attention economy that thrives on sensationalism, often overshadowing less dramatic but equally important stories. As a result, many people experience burnout from consuming constant negativity, prompting them to disengage from media consumption altogether.

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