Boosting Positivity Through Social Media

We know that social media can be extremely harmful. But can it also kick off a virtuous cycle of positive emotions? I invite you to join me in a little experiment here.

Human beings are a super social species. We care a lot about what others think about us.

We also tend to have a negativity bias. We give more attention to any social signal that indicates that our status and reputation is in danger.

Social media platforms and their algorithms harness our weaknesses to maximize attention and engagement. Inadvertently, they prey upon and boost our pettiness, our pride, our fear, our reactivity and other negative qualities, traditionally known as “vices”.

The discipline of “positive psychology“ deals with our untapped potential for growth and greatness. Human wisdom traditions emphasize the value of virtues like respect, tolerance, kindness, patience, gratitude, humility, wisdom, generosity, compassion and love.

Here’s my hypothesis: we can use social media algorithms to boost these human virtues in each other. We can use them to lift each other up instead of putting each other down and making each other dumber in the process.

The thing is: in order to face the challenges of the looming meta-crisis we will need the intelligence and good qualities of each and every human on this planet.

Every time we highlight and amplify what is good in each other, we plant a little seed. Every time we don’t take a positive quality of somebody else for granted, but instead make it a habit to give it attention by praising it publicly, we water that seed so that it can flower into its full potential. 

How do you feel when you receive praise and recognition? It feels great, doesn’t it?

We all love that warm shower. We all crave beauty and dignity and attention to some degree.

What’s even more: by praising somebody else for their virtuous behavior or character we become a little less self-centered, a little less stingy. We open our hearts and become generous. We take delight in the success of others.

And it feels damn good to do so. But don’t take my word for it. Do the experiment

So here’s my challenge to you.

Share this post or simply copy the text.

Tag at least 3 people (or more if you feel like it). Highlight at least one (or more) positive quality about the other person.

• What inspires you about them?
• What character trait do you admire about them?
• What are you grateful for about them?
• What good deed have they done that should be acknowledged?
• What little thing do you find sympathetic about them?
• How do they make your life better and put a smile on your lips?

Shower them with praise as they deserve it. Celebrate the positive quality of the other person.

Make it fully about them. Don’t expect to be praised back. No strings attached. Pure magnanimity. This is purely about giving, not receiving.

Paradoxically, you may find that in your giving you will find the receiving in the form of pure, blameless joy.

Set the intention to publicly praise at least one person in this way every week. Observe the ripple effects.

Let positivity drive the engagement on the platform. Let virtue give you visibility. Let generosity bring you attention. Let love override negativity, intolerance and small-mindedness. Help transform our digital environment one post at a time. Let’s clean up this mess and create something beautiful together. 

Let me know what you have experienced along the way.

#transformingsocialmedia #boostingpositivity #digitalvirtues #love #kindness