As I write this, I am nervously awaiting the results of tomorrow’s US presidential election. I must confess that I am glued to the news right now, because whoever is the next President will have a profound impact, not only on the US but around the world. It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I am very much rooting for Kamala Harris – if you’re a US citizen and read this before voting closes, please vote for her!
If she wins, she will be a remarkable leader, not only because she would be the first woman – and woman of colour – to hold that sacred office, but because of who she is as a person. Watch footage of her interacting with people as she criss-crosses that vast, beautiful country and her warmth, empathy and humanity shine through.
On the other side, of course, we have a person who seems motivated by anger and hatred, not kindness and compassion. But this post is not about Trump-bashing, it’s about the virus-like spread of anger, in the US and around the world. And the way we have seen anger, hatred and hostility becoming normalised in politics, as well as other spheres of public life.
In the UK, we have seen a parallel process since Trump’s first election success and the Brexit referendum in 2016, when my country essentially split in half around this highly emotive, deeply polarising issue. Ever since that (in my opinion, nationally self-destructive) result we have seen a steady erosion of basic civility and respect: in our politics, our schools and communities, as well as in mainstream and especially social media.
I long ago left Twitter because I was dismayed at the rudeness and hostility I encountered on a daily basis. I do post to social media (or rather my brilliant social media manager, Jaime, takes my words and does magical things with them) but I always try to stay positive. If anyone responds rudely I have a rule of never engaging in conflict or even debate, I just block and delete.
And that’s not because I am averse to debate, or intolerant of people disagreeing with me. It’s just because social media encourages polarised, emotional, right vs wrong communication, which is one reason for the wildfires of anger we see igniting all over the world in recent years.
Big tech profits from anger
One of the best books to explain the way that Big Tech companies not only tolerate, but actively encourage inflammatory posts, conflict and discord on their platforms is Johann Hari’s Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention. He interviews key figures behind influential platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to find out why tech in general, and social media in particular, is so addictive.
Hari explains that tech companies had the brilliant idea of hiring the people who designed slot machines in Las Vegas, employing the same use of colour schemes, dopamine-inducing psychological rewards in the form of likes and shares, as well as other ingenious strategies to make sure we keep posting, liking, sharing and scrolling.
He also explains that social-media algorithms actively promote inflammatory content that will make users scared, angry and reactive, because that’s what keeps us glued to our phones. This cleverly taps into the biases inherent in the human brain, which has evolved to be threat-focused, keeping us fixated on anything that might be dangerous or threatening, to ourselves or loved ones.
As I often write in these posts, anger is usually a response to fear. So all those people shouting at each other on social media, or attacking neighbouring countries in the numerous horrific conflicts raging around the world, are fiercely motivated to protect themselves, their family, their tribe, their land… because they are scared. Scared people easily become angry, even violent people.
Let’s all take a breath
Whatever the result on November 5th, I am sending love and support to my many US readers. Whether you are red or blue, a Trump fan or Harris devotee, I care deeply about you and your family. I hope you are happy and well. You are human, like me, and you seek happiness for yourself and your loved ones. You don’t wish to suffer. This is the common humanity that unites us, so let’s all take a breath and remember that we are all one human family, whatever our political views.
The world needs a bit less anger right now, wouldn’t you agree? A bit more kindness. A little more perspective. A reminder that hatred, conflict and violence never solved anything. I profoundly believe in a better future for us all, because we live in an age of miracles. The same technology that can do so much harm can also be a remarkable, transformative force for good. After all, you are reading this right now because I can beam it from my computer in London to you, wherever you are in the world, in a few seconds. Isn’t that amazing? I think so.
And to my American friends, one more gentle nudge to go vote, get your friends and family to vote, knock on doors, donate, do whatever you can to help advocate for decency and preserve democracy in your wonderful country. Go to iwillvote.com to find out more about how to vote where you live.
Thank you – and please stay safe, as emotions will be running high up to and after polling day.
Love,
Dan ❤️