Chances are that if you ask the average person about general statistics on things, like crime, war and world development, they will assume these metrics are getting worse.
Many people think that criminals are committing more crime, there is more conflict worldwide and all countries are steadily declining in their quality of life. This is at no fault to the person themselves, but rather the sources all around us making it seem so.
To describe this behavior, George Gerbner coined the term “mean world syndrome”. So what is causing people to perceive the world so negatively, and how can we change it?
The concept of the mean world syndrome is nothing new. In fact, Gerbner first studied this psychological phenomenon in the 1970s. But this concept is just as, if not more, relevant today. At the time, Gerbner blamed the news media for instilling a negative perception of the world, by portraying the constant rhetoric and violence in society.
But today, the news media is no match for social media algorithms. According to a study done by the YEF, 70% of teens have encountered real, violent content on social media platforms.
Social media companies promote this content through feeds such as “News”, “For You”, and “Stories”. As users continue to consume this content, the algorithm pushes it even more.
These platforms also push videos of war, crime and generally negative incidents throughout the world, perpetuating the idea that the world is worse off than it actually is. But is it really that bad?
In reality, the United States has seen the largest drop in violent crime since over a century ago. The world has progressed more medically and socially than ever before. And long-term historical data shows significant global improvements in poverty reduction, education and life expectancy. Although the amount of conflicts in the world has recently been increasing, technological advancements and new methods of war after WWII have reduced civilian casualties significantly.
This conflict between reality and perception has caused true fear and distrust. When people constantly consume negative media, they begin to believe that the world is much more dangerous than it really is, only increasing anxiety, social isolation and even political distrust.
However, recognizing the mean world syndrome does not indicate that we should ignore real-world issues. Crime, war and injustice are still very, very real, but constant exposure to negativity creates an unbalanced view of reality.
Rather than doomscrolling and feeding into an algorithm designed to hurt you, people should stick to being more self aware, using reliable sources and focusing on long-term positive trends rather than on isolated incidents. By being more mindful of the information we are consuming online, we can avoid falling into a cycle of the mean world syndrome and instead form a more balanced view of society.
