Outrage Addiction: How Social Media Fuels Our Craving for Moral Indignation
Scroll through any social media feed, and you’ll likely encounter it: a wave of moral outrage. A controversial opinion, a perceived injustice, a celebrity misstep – all amplified and dissected with righteous fury. While anger at genuine harm is natural, social media often cultivates something more insidious: outrage addiction.
We’re wired to pay attention to threats and perceived wrongs. Social media platforms exploit this perfectly. Their algorithms prioritize content that sparks strong reactions – and outrage is the rocket fuel of engagement. Each angry comment, share, or like delivers a potent hit. We feel a rush of self-righteousness, a sense of belonging with our “side,” and a fleeting illusion of impact. It’s outrage-as-snack-food: quickly consumed, momentarily satisfying, but ultimately empty.
This constant drip-feed has consequences:
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