Are you angrier now then before being on social media?

[Kaleva]

A majority of DUers are seniors or near seniors so I'm talking about comparing now to back before tweets, texting, Facebook, internet forums and such.

Some may argue that they are angrier now but it has nothing to do with social media which is a far point but we've all seen posts by fellow members who say they are going to take a break from here for awhile because it's taking a toll on them.

Almost daily immersion in bad news and conflict might have a negative impact on one's emotions.

I'm not saying that being on social media defiantly has an impact on a person's emotions but it would be something to consider if one has noticed a change.

14 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	I'm angrier more often now then before
	9 (64%)
	I'm about the same.
	3 (21%)
	I'm happier more often now then before
	2 (14%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[Elessar Zappa]

1. I'm angrier now.

I think it’s because I read too much politics and it’s depressing. I’m thinking of going off media (including the internet) for a while after the midterms.

[Kaleva]

2. I spend a great deal of time reading in the numerous groups we have here at DU.

[thomski64]

5. With or without more media..

There is more to be furious about, the descent into fascism and the relative success of the manufactured outrage machine, are just two.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. I'm grateful to Social Media as I have better information.

I can be angry but it's not the fault of social media.

[luvs2sing]

12. Exactly this.

[Kaleva]

15. I love the access to information and the exchange of ideas

I can do a good amount of research before beginning a project and it has really cut down on the "Well, that didn't fucking work!" results.

[Sympthsical]

4. Social media are designed to get people to lose their shit

Anxiety gets clicks. Outrage get clicks.

Things being ok do not get clicks.

So ramp up to 11, people. Ads don't sell themselves.

[Hugin]

9. I agree adding only the caveat that hilarity also makes people lose their shit.

So, keep those jokes, memes, 'toons, and puns coming.

Things, okay? The bots and HS classmates/relatives will take a pass.

[Sympthsical]

13. Absolutely

I think that's why I'm so chill online generally. 95% of my social media/youtube feeds are things like ASMR, documentaries, hobby stuff, and stupid funny videos.

It is never politics.

This is cracking me up this morning. If you don't play World of Warcraft, it'll be confusing. Basically, being a ranged character on this boss is very, very, very easy, and being in melee range is a total hellscape stress fest.

I keep watching it. As a ranged character, I can say the kid tells no lies. When he gets up and dances in mid-fight . . .

[multigraincracker]

6. About the same as I was in the 60s.

I have a very good memory of those times.

[Thtwudbeme]

7. I think I am more shocked and awed :) at some of my friends and familyi

Supporting Trump really threw their ethics and morals on the table for everyone to see.

I have quit speaking to many of them (yes, family) and consider the break irreparable.

I think the worst was my cousin's daughter who wrote on her FB- "friends at college think I am a racist because I voted for Trump."

[vlyons]

8. I'm not angry. I'm practice Buddhist peacefulness.

I also purge everyone from my FB feed, who posts hate speech, lies, and stupidities.

Anger is poison.

[Tetrachloride]

11. In addition to purges, I took new missions with

beneficial side effects and isolation

[CTyankee]

10. I blame Facebook. I've gotten myself worked up over my neighbor's postings there and it's just not

worth it. So I am much happier, even tho I miss the good people.

[GoCubsGo]

26. I just hide the toxic ones.

I'll hide the offensive posts, and put them on "snooze" for 30 days. If they're still at it at the end of the snooze, put them back on for another 30. That way, I don't miss the good people. I think you can still "unfollow" without "un-friending," as well. That way you're still "friends," but you don't see any of their crap, and they are none the wiser about it.

[CTyankee]

36. good plan. I'll try it. He's been absent from Facebook lately because of his work but the next lull

in his work and he'll find all kinds of things to bitch about, mostly Dems at the local level, or Biden. I think sometimes he might be off his meds, if he is on meds.

[betsuni]

14. Than before.

[LeftinOH]

16. Angrier now, because...

*Social media has revealed a significantly higher percentage of willfully ignorant -or just plain stupid- people than I ever imagined; it's depressing

*The relentless malignancy of disinformation and false narratives; it's exhausting.

[tinrobot]

17. After 2016, I've learned to curate my feeds to avoid the anger-inducing stuff

2016 taught me a lot of hard lessons with regards to social media. Lost a few friends that year.

I now purposely avoid politics on my personal feeds. Those feeds are just my friend's lives and random interest groups. If politics comes up, I'll typically mute the conversation.

If I want to talk politics, I can come here, Reddit, or a few other places where it doesn't get personal.

[Initech]

20. After 2016, I've been blocking and reporting all MAGA trolls I come across.

It makes my feeds that much better!

[Kaleva]

21. I do the same.

[brooklynite]

18. I don't get "angry", certainly not with respect to politics

I find it a distracting emotion when trying to make rational decisions.

And I'm able to distinguish between opinions on social media and opinions in the real world.

[Elessar Zappa]

31. Social media can affect the real world unfortunately.

Much of the insurrection was orchestrated on social media.

[GoCubsGo]

19. Not angrier. Just more disgusted.

It blows my mind how many people are so willing to flaunt their ignorance in front of the entire world. And, I find it disturbing how nasty and dehumanizing many of them can be. And, it's not just over politics, either. Sports fans are as bad, if not worse. The same goes for media related to science. I have to keep reminding myself that what one sees on social media is a relatively small segment of society.

[Turbineguy]

22. Facebook "suggests" all sorts of hate sites that it did not before

to answer would reveal my name and subject me to all sorts of abuse.

I use Facebook to maintain contact with people I like. I stopped making political comments about 3 years ago and deleted what was there.

[RockRaven]

23. If you aren't, then the social media companies are failing, because that's definitely their intent.

FB/Meta purposely designed, and continue to alter, their algorithms to manipulate your feelings in a negative way because that is what maximizes your-eyeball-time, which is the product they are selling to others.

[ForgedCrank]

24. I had to

stop using most social media outside of this forum because of the poison.
I found that nothing good came of it, and it only created division between myself and people I know in real life.

[Chainfire]

25. I have always tried to stay well informed, so the anger level has fluctuated with the times.

I feel very angry now, but it is the circumstances. That still fluctuates some, I go from a slow boil to explosion depending on the days news. I will say that my disappointment competes with my anger; I just never imagined that we would have taken the path we are on today, and it breaks my damn heart. It has been since the last presidential election that I have felt good about the news.

I imagine that I would take up drinking again and dance naked in the streets in pure joy if a meteorite fell in a specific place in South Florida. Where is God when he is needed?

Social media, this forum in particular, helps me from feeling so damn lonely living in sea of red.

[hunter]

27. I'm less likely to be injured fighting on social media than I am fighting in person.

When I was an angry young man arguments could be bloody. Literally.

I've got some wicked scars and achy bones that remind me to walk away when arguments get too hot.

So I've voted "happier."

[Just A Box Of Rain]

28. The populists want you to be engaged. It is part of their game plan to gain power.

[ismnotwasm]

29. No.

[Baggies]

30. Social media is both a blessing and a curse.

As for the curse, anonymity gives people the license to say things they normally wouldn’t say, and certainly not to someone’s face. That lends itself to seeing the dark side of people and can illicit anger or, depending on if you agree with them, can have you in helping to pile on.

Though not here for long, I’ve noted the darker side of comments seem to be more prevalent. I can see why some would wish to take a break.

[maxsolomon]

32. does Depressed count as Angry?

then yes.

Not only do we know more about events, those events are just awful.

[Amishman]

33. Twitter and Facebook are mental poison

We would all be better off without them

[slightlv]

34. I am oh, so much more angrier

but it's not because of social media. I don't do twitter.

I am on Facebook, to friends and family. But we only do it to keep up with each other, and to do cat videos. My Facebook keeps me sane. It's small, and only open to my close friends and coven mates. They give me the freedom to "pop off" when I need to, without feeding the beast.

It's the news in general that makes me mad. It's things like the J6 committee, MSNBC, the actual real news, and the idiots I run into on a day to day basis. The meanness I see in everyday life. The fear of things that are totally and completely out of my control - things like yanking Social Security away from seniors like us who have only it to live on. Yeah, we vote; every single election. And we see (in Ks, as in many other states) how gerrymandering has diluted our votes to almost count for nothing. That, right there, is enough to make me mad enough to double my blood pressure meds!

The beauty of the night sky; the joy of my watching my kitten skitter across the floor; the blessing of two of my friends and coven mates showing up unexpectedly with spare A/C units in the worst of the heat wave after our A/C unit went out (despite us saying we're okay) and installing them for us... these are the things that bring me back to "normal"... whatever that is in this world, anymore. They give me hope that we can retrieve something of this country from the extremists and terrorists who want to kill us and destroy our country.

Yes, I'm angrier that I've ever been in my entire life. For the first time I feel actual hatred toward entire groups of human beings. But I can also still feel love. I figure as long as I can still feel that, I'll be okay.

[Bettie]

35. The level of fuckery has gone up so much

that, yes, I am angrier, but I don't believe it is because of social media, I believe it is because of the increased level of fuckery by right wingers.

Before social media, I was still pissed off, usually after reading newspaper articles or watching the news.

Now, I have curated groups of people with whom I can discuss things and blow off some steam, so honestly, it's a little better.