Our personal stories can be categorized as redemptive or contamination, and the latter is detrimental to our mental health. It's concerning that contamination narratives prevail in society while redemption stories are less popular. These emotionally charged contamination stories have the power to rally people, similar to the intense fear one experiences for the safety of a loved one.
A lot of people are plagued by the feeling that society used to be better, that neighbors were more helpful, that strangers once talked to you. Some people channel that belief into political action, as in the Make America Great Again movement. A new study explains why the sense that people and the culture have gotten worse is a psychological illusion. This special episode features Hanna Rosin, the host of Radio Atlantic. Subscribe and find new episodes of Radio Atlantic every Thursday.
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