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Transcript

Why do bad news dominate the headlines? · Deep Thoughts

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: We're diving into a phrase I bet you've heard before.
• 0:05
  Speaker 2: If it bleeds, it leads exactly.
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Especially in today's world, it seems like that's all we see.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: It's everywhere, it really is. So in this deep dive,
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: we're going to uncover the origins of this phrase and
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: how it's woven itself through media history.
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: And its impact on our minds.
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: Yes, and maybe most importantly, we'll explore how we can
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: all become smarter consumers of the information that is constantly
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: being thrown at us.
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: We'll see if we can figure that out.
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  Speaker 1: So to kick things off, where did this hole if
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: it bleeds it leads thing even come from?
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Well, the roots actually go all the way back to
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: the late nineteenth century.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: Wow.
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  Speaker 2: Really yeah, I think like the newspaper wars between William
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: Randolph Hurst and Joseph Pulitzer. They were battling it out
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: for readership, and their tactics gave rise to what we
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: call sensational journalism. Sensationalism which was a style of news
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: that was less concerned with accuracy and more focused on
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: just so papers.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: So basically just trying to get people to buy their newspapers.
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: And I guess headlines that screamed about crime and disaster.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: That was effective, wasn't it.
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: It was very effective. It turns out our fascination with
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: the dramatic, maybe even the morbid, is nothing new.
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: Yeah, we've always kind of liked that, haven't we.
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: Indeed, this era demonstrated a fundamental truth about human nature.
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: We're wired to pay attention to threats. It's a survival
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: instinct that probably served us well in our evolutionary past, right,
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: But in today's media landscape, that instinct can be easily exploited.
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: That makes sense. But you know, it's interesting. While the
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: concept has been around for over a century or century,
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: the exact phrase if it bleeds it leads is attributed
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: to an article from nineteen eighty nine critiquing local TV news.
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: So the evolution of language itself kind of reflects how
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: this whole concept has adapted and thrived in different media environments.
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, And speaking of different media environments, the twenty
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: four to seven news cycle and the.
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: Internet, especially social media algorithms.
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: They've just dramatically amplified this phenomenon of them. That's crazy.
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: Now anyone with a smartphone can contribute to this cycle
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: of sensationalism. It's kind of like a democratization of information,
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: but also a diffusion of responsibility.
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: That's a really good way to put it.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: So much power is in the hands of individuals. Now,
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: it makes you wonder if the audience even bears some
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: responsibility for the prevalence of this, if it bleeds it
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: leads thing, You.
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: Mean, like, are we complicit in our own anxieties?
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll have to unpack that. Let's maybe start by
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: considering the psychological effects of constant exposure to negative news.
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: Okay, so think about how you feel after scrolling through
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: a social media feed filled with stories of conflict, violence, tragedy,
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: all of that, all the bad stuff. Yeah, I know
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: when I do that, I often feel just overwhelmed, anxious, Yeah,
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: even a bit hopeless, Like the world is a much
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: more dangerous place than it actually is.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: That's a very common experience. You're definitely not alone. And
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: there's actually a name for that, mean world syndrome.
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: Mean world syndrome. It's the feeling that the world is
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: more dangerous than it actually is, and it comes from
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: being heavily exposed to negative news. There's also headline stress
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  Speaker 2: disorder what Yeah, which is a form of anxiety that's
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: fueled by the constant barrage of alarming headlines.
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: That makes sense. I mean, our brains haven't really adapted
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: to this onslaught of information, have they not at all.
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: It's like we're constantly on high alert, which is incredibly draining,
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: it really is.
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: And it's almost like these ancient survival mechanisms we have
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: are being hijacked by algorithms that are designed to keep
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: us engaged.
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: And nothing keeps us glued to our screens like a
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: good dose of fear and outrage.
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: It's true. Yeah, So how do we break free from
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: this cycle? How do we reclaim our attention and maybe
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: more importantly, our peace of mind?
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: That's the million dollar question, it really is. Well. I
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: think the first step is awareness, recognizing that there are
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: powerful forces at play here and understanding how they influence
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: our thoughts and emotions. I can see we need to
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: become more parttous of our media consumption habits and the
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: impact they have on us.
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: So it's like being on a diet, but for information.
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  Speaker 1: We need to be mindful of what we're feeding our minds.
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  Speaker 2: Precisely, instead of mindlessly scrolling through a news feed, be
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: intentional about the sources. You choose the information you consume
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: and the time you spend engaging with it.
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  Speaker 1: So diversifying our media diet is key, It's crucial. But
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  Speaker 1: what are some like practical steps we can take to
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: break free from this negativity cycle? So diversifying our media
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: diet is key, But what are some like practical steps
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: we can take to break free from this negativity cycle?
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: Well, one concrete step you can take is to curate
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: your social media feeds.
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: Okay, so, like, how do we do that?
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  Speaker 2: Take a look at the accounts you follow and think
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: about the content they share. Ask yourself, do they consistently
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: evoke feelings of anxiety or negativity? I see, and if so,
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: you might want to consider unfollowing them, just get rid
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: of them, or at least muting them.
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good reminder. It's easy to get caught
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: up in that outrage cycle without realizing how much it's
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  Speaker 1: affecting us.
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  Speaker 2: It really is, And it's also important to be wary
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: of those clickbait headlines and sensationalized stories.
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  Speaker 1: The ones that are designed to trigger our fear.
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  Speaker 2: Response exactly because remember the goal of a lot of
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  Speaker 2: media outlets is to capture our attention.
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  Speaker 1: Not necessarily to inform us.
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  Speaker 2: Right, so we need to be a little bit more
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: critical and really question the motives behind those headlines, like.
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: What are they trying to get us to believe or do?
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: That's the question. And another thing you can do is
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: try to limit your exposure to the news to take
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: a break, especially during times of heightened stress or anxiety.
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: That makes sense.
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: It's okay to step away from that constant stream of
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: information and just focus on things that bring you joy
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: and peace.
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: It's like hitting the reset button on our minds exactly.
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: You're allowing yourself to step away from all that noise
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: and reconnect with what really matters.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, So limit exposure.
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: Take a break, and then when you are consuming news,
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: make a conscious effort to seek out diverse perspectives and
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: high quality journalism.
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: Support organizations committed to ethical reporting and fact checking, all
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: of that good stuff. This is where critical thinking really
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: comes in. We need to evaluate the sources of information
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: we're consuming and consider their potential biases and agendas.
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, look for evidence based.
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: Reporting, balanced perspectives.
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  Speaker 2: A commitment to accuracy.
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: Don't be afraid to challenge your own assumptions and look.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: For information that might contradict your existing beliefs.
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: It's all about broadening our understanding.
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: Of the world and recognizing that there's rarely a single
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: right answer.
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: And you know what, I just realized this whole if
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: it bleeds it leads phenomenon.
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: It's not limited to news media, right.
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: It also plays out in our personal relationships, in our workplaces,
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: even even in our own internal dialogues.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: It's everywhere.
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: That's a really interesting point. How does it show up
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: in these other areas of life?
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: Well, think about a time when you shared a piece
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: of gossip or a negative story with someone. Okay, did
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: you notice that it seemed to grab their attention more
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: than if you had shared something positive or neutral.
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: Hmm, Now that you mention it, I can definite think
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: of times when I've been drawn to the drama.
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: Even when you knew it wasn't necessarily productive or helpful exactly.
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: It's a natural human tendency.
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: But one we can learn to manage.
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: By becoming more aware of how if it Bleeds it
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: Leads operates in our personal lives, we can start to
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: make more conscious choices about the stories we share and
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: the energy we cultivate.
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: This has been a powerful reminder that if it bleeds
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: It Leads is so much more than just a media phenomenon.
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: It's a deeply ingrained human tendency that we all need
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: to be aware of and actively work to counteract.
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: By understanding these psychological forces at play.
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: We can make more mindful choices about the information we consume,
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: the stories we share, and ultimately the world we create
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: for ourselves and others.
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: It's about taking back control of.
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: Our attention, our emotions, and our perception of the world.
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: The power to shape our reality lies.
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: Within each of us, and we need to use that
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: power wisely.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: We've spent this deep dive really unpacking this idea of
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: if it bleeds.
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: It Leads, a phrase that's become almost like a mantrap.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: In today's media landscape especially. We've explored its historical roots,
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: its evolution in our digital age, and it's impact on us, yeah,
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: on our minds, both individually and collectively.
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: It's really fascinating.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: But I think more importantly, we've talked about how to
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: break free from this grip, from this pervasive phenomenon, to
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: become more conscious, more discerning about the information we consume. Absolutely,
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: it's about reclaiming our attention, our emotions, and our power
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: to shape our own narrative. The big takeaway, I think
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: is that we have a choice in all of.
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: This, We really do.
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: We can choose to be swept away by all the negativity.
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: Or we can swim against the current exactly.
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: We can be passive, or we can be active. We
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: can just take in whatever comes.
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: Our way, or we can be critical thinkers, questioning everything exactly.
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: Yeah, question the motives the agendas behind those headlines.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: We have to remember, if it bleeds, it leads is
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: a powerful force, but we can learn to navigate it.
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: We can even subvert it.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: The future of media, and really the future of our society,
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: depends on the choices we make.
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: As individuals, each and every one of us. So are
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: we going to continue to be drawn in by all
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: the fear and outrage.
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: Or will we choose to cultivate a more balanced view
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: of the world.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: The power to shape the narrative, It's in our hands.
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: This deep dive has given me a lot to think
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: about me too, and I hope it's done the same
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: for you, I hope. So remember, the power to change
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: the world starts with changing ourselves.
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: Let's be the change we want to see.
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us today.
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: It's been a pleasure.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: We'll be back next time with another deep.
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: Dive into a topic that matters.
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: Until then, keep questioning, keep learning, and keep diving deep.
• 9:42
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• 9:44
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• 9:47
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• 10:03
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