Outrageous

There is a common perception today that people are generally angrier than they were in the past. In my
opinion, this is a fundamentally negative psychological phenomenon exacerbated by modern
technology.

The main reason there are higher levels of anger in society is individuals are vulnerable to the pleasure
of feeling outrage. Human beings are naturally attracted to activities that produce the release of certain
endorphins. These actions include positive outlets such as exercising and spending time with others and
more harmful ones like eating unhealthy foods and abusing narcotic stimulants. Outrage also has the
added benefit of a self-esteem boost. The narcotic-like effects of outrage over time become addictive,
especially in the current technological age. A person can browse the news and read stories that provoke
anger, scroll through social media, and engage in so-called “hate watching” of popular pundits on
television espousing extreme views. All these addictive pastimes are available on mobile devices,
creating an environment where access to outrage is too readily accessible to be ignored.

In my opinion, outrage endangers the ability of individuals in a society to understand each other and
work towards shared goals. When individuals pursue outrage as an end in itself, they are no longer
communicating honestly. For example, many online trolls post and engage with other users mainly to
provoke and feel outrage themselves with little concern for truth and honest debate. This creates an
atmosphere wherein people become increasingly distrustful and alienated from one another. In order
for a person to change their views and make actual progress in the world, they must be willing to listen
to and understand the arguments of the other side. When this occurs, both sides feel some degree of
commonality. However, if neither side is engaging in good-faith conversations, then the unproductive
outcome is merely to feel more and more outraged and accomplish less and less.

In conclusion, seeking outrage is fundamentally human, though it leads to a breakdown in social

cohesion. People should cultivate healthier habits and abstain from easy, pleasurable feelings of
outrage.