We live in an angry culture...
and it keeps getting worse.
Everywhere you look, people seem to be angry. Social media is overflowing with divisive comments, and TV channels are filled with heated debates where people often find it hard to express their viewpoints clearly. Twitter and Instagram overflow with rants, shaming, and outrage. It is almost as if our world is engineered to provoke strong reactions constantly.
And the truth is that many of us are drawn to this kind of content. Why? Because it taps into a very human emotion: anger. When we see others getting angry, we tend to mirror their reactions. Things like frustration, feeling conflicted between different ideas, and wanting to confirm what we already believe make us more likely to react. Even feelings of powerlessness or needing to defend our own self-worth can push us to respond more intensely.
That is why the wildest takes rise to the top, whether it's a political debate, a discussion about gender, or the latest trending topic.
Stories that highlight conflict stir up our emotions, making us click, watch, and share more. This engagement in turn fuels the algorithms that choose what we see next. So, it’s no surprise then that we sometimes find ourselves caught in a cycle of irritation and unrest.
Just take a look at your social media feed. How many times have you come across something genuinely heartwarming or positive lately? Rare, right? Your feed is probably filled with stories of crime, corruption, racism, inequality, and injustice, content that triggers strong emotions. Or it could be posts calling someone out, influencers arguing with each other, or controversial opinions that stir up drama. That is not to say positive and fun content is completely gone, it’s just much harder to come by. While such posts still exist, they are often buried under the flood of content meant to provoke anger and conflict.
And as we endlessly scroll, it’s easy to forget the creative and positive content that once filled our feeds. Because social media isn’t just about keeping us engaged anymore, it’s designed to keep us in a constant state of agitation.
Most modern sociologists and psychologists call this phenomenon outrage economy. The concept basically describes how the media, through algorithms, sensationalism, and emotional manipulation, turn public anger into a commodity, profiting from our emotional responses. The more we express our discontent, the more engagement is generated, benefiting media platforms and content creators alike.
Of course, modern news and media were quick to capitalise on this. News organizations understand that anger attracts viewers and boosts engagement so they highlight stories that provoke strong emotional responses. In the same way, many content creators, influencers, and commentators have tapped into this trend. It’s so common on social media that we often come across posts or content that instantly spark arguments in the comments, sometimes over relatively minor issues like favourite TV shows.
And with the rise of this outrage culture, we’ve also seen a boom in commentary channels and social media accounts. These platforms thrive on harsh remarks and cancel culture, with users trying to outdo each other in creating mean-spirited takes that provoke reactions instead of real conversations.
In fact, social media platforms have become so good at playing with our emotions that when you open Instagram, you often see hateful comments first. This negativity pulls you in. How often have you seen a post and jumped straight to the comments knowing they'd be inflammatory? We care less about the creator's message and more about arguing with the content. When you see someone with a "bad take" and everyone disagrees, it stirs up your emotions too. And even though most of us know we are being sucked into this pattern; we still find it hard to resist.
On top of this, social media gives people the power to hide behind anonymity. When no one knows who you are, it is easy to spread hate and misinformation without facing any real consequences.
This feeds directly into a toxic loop- consume outrage content, get angry, frustrated, and ultimately drained.
The result? We slowly, almost unknowingly, adopt a darker and more negative perspective about everything and everyone.
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What if we just imagined the enormous power for good that the Internet affords. The sharing and caring possible now is unprecedented. We can look at other cultures and people, read about them, talk with them, only because of the Internet. Instead we have this toxic culture that you perfectly describe. It’s true. But like the song says, “imagine.”
Everything you said is so true, Arathy.
Unfortunately people love drama, and fights so they can’t resist from being a part and enjoying it.
The way people normalise debates, hatred, roasting on social media is absolutely wrong.
They don’t care about the psyche of someone who’s being attacked by their comments.
People just need one minor flaw about a person and that will start an unstoppable fire on the Internet.
This was really important to write.
Thanks!!👏