why is everyone so negative?

Question

why when asked do people remember the worse

Answer 1

I know what you mean, I've noticed this too lately. Maybe it's because it's the winter season and leaves people in bitter moods. There are still plenty of positive people out there.

Answer 2

I think it's a complex situation. First, when we begin to think negatively and have negative expectations, we tend to get pulled into that cycle. It becomes self fulfilling. The brain will reinforce the circuits we use for negative thinking leading to more.
Also, we are in a very destructive culture, which does not value the individual, the family, the positive aspects of life. We are taught to look for easy answers and instant gratification. Probably, almost none of us learn what patience is until we live with other people away from our parents' home. In our culture the qualities that are valued by a majority of people are very superficial - such as a nice body, a lot of wealth, a hot car. Do you know of any animal that would withhold love from its partner, if the mammary glands were not perfect? Also, we are all a tiny bit superstitious. If we talk glowingly about what we feel is positive about the people in our lives, then we fell that those people could be lost to us.

Answer 3

My motto is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. But at times I can be really cynical about people's intentions. My wife if very positive about other people, but I tend to believe that other people are self-absorbed and tend to think only of themselves.
For example, why is it that at a local community college where I just took a calculus class, the young little freshmen don't ever hold a door for other people. I'll be walking right behind one of them as we enter a building, and the person lets the door slam on me???
I feel like catching up to those people and swiping their feet out from under them and say, "how's it feel, Jerk?!"
I guess, to answer your question is that people tend to hold on to anger, and the desire to stay alive helps us not to be victimized too much. So we tend to remember the negative things others have done to us.

Answer 4

Consider the evolved animal and these two points. You remember the last orgasm you had, very well and good. Think; how would your memory compare to that and getting shot? The joy is there in life, but it seems the bad just sticks out a little more sometimes. The remember the good, it just may get overshadowed occasionally by that " bad ".

Answer 5

Hang on!

I'm not negative! I get the occasional negative mood but I clear it PDQ.
I know there's a lot of negativity out there, but look! What you put out, you attract!
Think of something nice. Smile. Do something to change your mood. Otherwise you'll suddenly find that you're old and you've lost your life in negativity. Don't do that to yourself.

I'm 70. I've had great sadness in my life from time to time; we all do; if I can be happy and enthusiastic, I'm sure you can!

Answer 6

There does seem to be a distinct split among my friends where positivity and negativity are concerned. Half believe that if they've had a bad experience, to share it with someone makes them feel better, and the other half believe that keeping their problems to themselves and being positive helps them overcome any misfortunes. I am a bit of a negative person (glass half empty) and I do tend to have more bad experiences than my friends who keep smiling. Maybe they do have the bad experiences but they don't let it affect them.

Answer 7

Because it's fun? Ok, that excuse sucked. Well, I call myself amnesia because I have bad memory. And yet, despite this, I have a very clear memory of certain BAD events. I hate my stupid brain. It won't work the way I want it too. So I apologize in advance for any negative comment I make in the future, as I really get stumped trying to find something nice to say. Runs in the family.

Answer 8

I think that maybe you could be surrounded by negative people,positivity is a state of mind.Life is hard work and you have to be a fighter to survive,that means picking yourself up and finding a way to get through difficulties. But it is all relative, to some people breaking a finger nail is devistating, what can you do?

Answer 9

Basic social principles classify people into groups based on their success (society determines what success is). I think many people have unrealistic expectation about what they want in life and about who they want to be. People don't often get near attaining their idealistic goals.

I think a fundamental change of attitude on life is the only solution. We can't all be involved in this materialistic rat race, most people will lose.

Answer 10

Pain leaves a bigger mark on your memory than happiness or content. People take happiness for granted. When they have it, they don't appreciate it. When it's gone, they miss it and focus only on the bad.

There are some people out there that can really bring your spirits up. It's just a matter of finding them and learning from them.