Sometimes I’m wondering if we get too much information presented to us these days, and if this is really good for us.
The stream of information – mainstream media, social media – it is all going through the roof isn’t it?
Is it making us happier, or is it making us miserable?
Every day at the end of the work day, I scroll through my Twitter feed. There often is quite some interesting work shared here that I really appreciate – blog posts, papers, videos, art – these are the things that I am on Twitter for.
There’s also the seemingly endless stream of unhappiness and misery. Often you have to really look for positivity. But even if you do, negativity seems to always prevail. As I have written before, negativity sells. Nobody wants a positive vibe. Well I do, alright!
What is it with all this negativity. It almost seems that we are all just looking for things to complain about, things to hate on, people to make responsible for all that is bad in this world. Academic Twitter seems to be particularly touchy… You can’t really say anything anymore these days. You’ll be outcast for life. It sometimes seems to be a bit like a medieval witch hunt. Catch anyone that behaves somewhat different, and burn them on the pyre. A poorly phrased sentence will get you there these days.
Are we getting too sensitive?
I don’t know if it is just me, but it feels like I’m constantly walking on eggshells. I wouldn’t want to offend anyone. Or meet death by burning. Knowing myself – I’m great at poorly phrased statements, and I’m certainly too honest for my own good. Sooner or later, someone will burn me at the stake. Maybe I should get off Twitter before it is too late.
Robin Heinen 