Positivism

Just the other day, someone mentioned to me that the subject matter of my posts was too negative for her liking.  In order to attract more readers, she suggested that I should be more positive.  Of course, this got me to thinking: Am I perhaps being too negative?  Should the topics be more positive in nature?

I couldn’t help myself but begin reflecting on the situation.  First, I thought about the programming on the television.  Then I considered the themes covered by magazines.  Afterwards, I turned toward the news headlines.  The main focus of our society quickly became evident…

Regarding TV, many of the most popular shows are based on a negative premise.  First, there are the reality shows.  The “lives of housewives” from this or that location show us what kind of mayhem they can and do cause.  The “group house” kinds of shows concentrate on nothing but people trying to “screw” each other—both figuratively and literally—in such a way that they get others kicked out of the house.  Then, there are the cop shows in their various forms, focusing on nothing but crime/murder.

If you take a quick look at the best-selling magazines, they too cover negative subjects.  “Movie Star W” is cheating on his wife with “Movie Star X,” while “Movie Star Y” has just hooked up with five-time divorced “Movie Star Z.”  Other magazines try and sell us the idea that we must go on this or that diet to lose x number of pounds so we can fit in the same bathing suit as “Ms. All-Star Super Model.”  And how about the article on how to tell if your wife or husband is cheating on you and how to go about busting them?

Turning to the daily newscasts, we see a similar pattern.  This politician has cheated taxpayers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars after having submitted fraudulent expense claims.  Over the course of his tenure, “Mr. Businessman” has embezzled millions of dollars from clients.  Yesterday, there was a 100-car pile-up that led to the death of six people.  This morning, a drunk and unlicensed driver fled the scene of an accident after jumping the curb and hitting a 10-year-old boy—and doctors state that the boy will now be in a wheel chair for the rest of his life.  What’s worse is that the unlicensed driver’s wife helped him elude the police after the fact!

Considering the above, it’s plain to see that what is covered by today’s media is nothing but negative in nature.  A different way to qualify this observation is to simply remember the oh-so-common saying that “bad news sells.”  I think that we have been programmed to see and seek out the negative in life!  For all intents and purposes, positivism is dead!  So, what am I left to say about this?  If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!  It’s either that, or you can…Blame it on fast foods!

- B. J. T. Pepin