Bad Temper, Fake News

Mark Manson, best-selling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k, highlights the relationship between anger and ‘fake news’ on his excellent blog this month.

“We tend to remember and believe what upsets us, regardless of whether it is true,” he says, “We tend to be more confident in our beliefs of what upset us, especially if it isn’t true. And then we forget or disregard what isn’t upsetting as though it never existed.”

Mason points to this recent survey where test subjects were enraged before their reactions to misinformation were tested.

“Anger likely causes us to believe things that are self-serving, even if they are not true,” concludes Mason, “Therefore, it makes sense to be the most wary of information which makes you angry.”

Indignancy is hardly limited to one side of the culture war, before readers start pointing any fingers! Step away from the outrage machines is our advice…