Ed Coper

This is how we are hardwired.

Now, our brains were built for an era when we had to deal with Viking hordes.

Our brains weren't built for an era where we had a constant torrent of outrage that is dressed up as threats.

We are tuned to perceive threat.

And what do we get on social media?

Post after post after post of things that feel threatening.

This triggers our ancient threat response.

And our ancient threat response is to band together with others and get really angry.

Now, instead of picking up a pitchfork, what does that look like now?

They've made the expression of anger really easy.

We share it.

We comment.

We post.

We shout back into the ether.

We get into these internet fights with people who disagree with us.

I

These are normal evolutionary reactions.

It's our information systems that have changed and they're just not compatible with our ancient emotional systems that are designed to be positive things.

Now they've become very negative things.

Yeah, outrage is by design a really risky activity normally, as same as anger.