You probably know how bad “doom-scrolling” is for your mental health. But did you know that once your brain has read something dozens of times, it begins to accept it as true? It’s called the illusory truth effect. The disinformation that you linger on because you can’t help staring, or because you’re crafting the perfect argument, is actually changing your brain.
It’s a one-two punch, actually. Lies and upsetting posts get the most attention, which makes them pop up more in your feed, which changes your brain. No wonder we’re in a misinformation epidemic (and why, like Martha Beck, we’ve spent a lot of time in the fetal position lately).
But do you know what research shows is the only force on the internet that travels faster than lies? Inspiration.
Our own social media feeds at Red Wine & Blue even show this. Our most popular posts are the ones where we share photos of women getting together for community action like this recent meet-up in Macomb County, Michigan.
What will actually help you resist and organize for change: encyclopedic knowledge of every scary news article, or being inspired by people who are fighting back? And what will help you be a force of inspiration for others?
Stay informed, by all means. But don’t give the Trump administration a starring role in your mind. Inspiration is more powerful than fear and you can find it everywhere. You just have to look.
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