World We Imagine Part 1

As an International Relations major, I frequently read about conflict, wars, and corruption. While I read those assigned readings, I often think about how all the negative aspects of the world are often what get the spotlight, even though there is so much good that is not talked about. The same countries that have the highest corruption and crime rates also have some of the most beautiful people with the kindest hearts, but that is never discussed by the media or the readings. The average person has a good heart, but that is not an entertaining story, so it is blocked away by more eye-catching stories, like violence and people having different values. 

 

I believe that the advancements in technology and social media has contributed to some of the negativity produced in the world, but I also believe it has so much potential to show the world how much good there is around us. I have watched so many stories of people helping strangers for nothing more than to brighten someone's day, and that makes me and all the viewers feel better about how people truly are. I believe positivity is becoming more popular on social media, and soon enough, technology will be a source to spread kindness and good values, rather than negativity and anger.


I like to travel a lot. Whenever I go to a foreign country, I always experience some form of connection or positive moment with complete strangers. When I was interning in Katowice, Poland, a 70 year old woman complemented me because I was wearing a suit. Although I couldn't speak Polish, I understood that she was complementing me because of her body language and her smile, and I think that is such an amazing thing to experience. Positivity does not have a language barrier, and it is truly amazing to see/experience people coming together and celebrating life with no understanding of each other's language or background because people are simply enjoying each other's company.

 

Just because negativity is marketable doesn't mean that it has to be the forefront of everyone's mind! 

Comments

  1. Hannah WuApril 19, 2024 at 11:50 AM

    Hey Anders! You made a great point about how marketable negativity is in the public media. When I'm on social media, I often see people say "I wish I could live in the 80s" or "our world was so much better before". It's easy to believe that the world is going backwards when there is so much spotlight on global disasters. However, the world is in a much better place than it was 30 years ago in almost all categories. Just 200 years ago, around 90% of the population lived in extreme poverty. By 2018, it was around 10%. While it's important to be aware of pressing issues, we should still be optimistic.

    To build on your ideas, maybe you could propose some community outreach programs. Change starts at home and such programs could bring us closer to the people around us. Sometimes social media makes us forget about what's right in front of us and it may be beneficial to reconnect with our direct communities. When the program is more developed, you could launch it on a global scale by offering volunteer exchange programs in different countries/communities.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChloeApril 19, 2024 at 5:02 PM

    Hey Anders, I really liked your post's focus on positivity! I think having a positive mindset is always important. I also like how you connected this negativity to social media and technology. To expand on your point of using social media as a resource, maybe you could establish some movement where popular news accounts are encouraged to post about one happy story every day, or in their more concerning posts also talk about the good things that are happening.

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  3. Ramneek SinghApril 19, 2024 at 11:38 PM

    I couldn't agree more when you said that positivity does not have language barriers. The barriers are a social construct and we can absolutely communicate without ever being able to understand the other person's language. I also agree that social media contributes to the negativity in the world since a more eye catching headline gets more attention.

    I think a good way to build on this idea would be to launch some sort of campaign on social media itself that holds news sources accountable and makes sure that they are fair in their journalism rather than promoting negativity. Maybe a social media campaign is that place to counter the negative repercussions that social media has brought!

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  4. Jack DossApril 22, 2024 at 11:08 AM

    Hey Anders! I completely agree with your thoughts on how negativity dominates media and literature, overshadowing the goodness in the world. It's great to focus on positivity amidst all the chaos.

    Technology and social media have their downsides, but they also offer a platform to highlight acts of kindness and goodwill globally, which is heartwarming.
    our story about the elderly woman in Katowice is a perfect example of how positivity transcends language barriers. It's amazing how genuine connections can be made. Regarding the world's perception, it's easy to feel like things are getting worse, but we've actually made significant progress, especially in reducing poverty.

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