Recently, at a drive-thru window, a customer threw his drink cup at an employee, dousing her in soda because, reportedly, he didn’t want ice in his drink.
Imagine if they’d put onion on his burger?
We’ve all read about—or maybe witnessed?—moments like this, and they’re not random. Jetway fisticuffs between a gate agent and a passenger. A disagreement in a grocery store that escalates into hurled Hostess cakes. A dispute over roadway merging, and someone grabs a tire iron.
I could go on. And you could add your own.
But the point is clear: bad behavior has become an outlet for internal strain.
I believe we are being conditioned for it.
Before our morning coffee has cooled, our nervous system has already been hijacked.
Headlines designed to make our blood boil. A video clipped to provoke outrage. A comment section full of strangers declaring war over issues they barely understand. Before we’ve even thought about breakfast or our morning workouts, our nervous systems have already been recruited into battle.
We are living in an age of outrage.
And while anger itself isn’t the enemy, living in a constant state of agitation is costing us more than we realize.
The Business of Keeping Us Angry
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: attention is profitable. News outlets, influencers, social media platforms, YouTube or TikTok channels, documentaries, blogs, and algorithms all compete for one thing—our attention.
And nothing captures attention faster than outrage.
Calm doesn’t trend. Nuance doesn’t go viral. “Everyone cooperated today” is hardly breaking news.
But conflict? Chaos? Division? Fear?
Those things keep us scrolling.
The old newsroom phrase still applies: “If it bleeds, it leads.” But today, it’s not only tragedy that drives attention—it’s outrage. Political outrage. Cultural outrage. Moral outrage. Personal outrage.
And the problem isn’t just what we consume. It’s what prolonged consumption does to us.
Your Body Doesn’t Know the Difference
Our bodies were designed to respond to danger. When stress hits, our brains trigger the fight-or-flight response. Hormones like adrenaline and cortisol flood the body, preparing us to survive a threat. Heart rate rises. Muscles tense. Awareness sharpens.
This response is helpful when facing a real emergency.
It is far less helpful when the “threat” is a nonstop stream of alarming headlines, angry commentary, and online conflict. Your nervous system doesn’t always distinguish between being chased by danger and being emotionally activated by what you’re consuming.
And when outrage becomes our daily diet, stress hormones stop being occasional visitors and become permanent roommates.
Over time, chronic stress has been linked to:
- Anxiety and depression
- Sleep problems
- Digestive issues
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Weight gain
- Increased risk of heart disease
No wonder so many people feel exhausted.
We are overstimulated, overinformed, and emotionally overloaded.
We Need to Disengage to Reengage
Many of us can’t simply unplug completely. Our work happens on screens. We write, create, communicate, research, video, retail, edit, market, and manage life online.
But necessary screen time and unnecessary emotional overload are not the same thing.
There’s a difference between working at a computer and living emotionally tethered to one.
Maybe the answer isn’t abandoning technology, but building healthier rhythms around it—stepping outside, silencing notifications, protecting peace, reading something longer than a caption or summary, reclaiming hobbies, or simply remembering that life exists beyond an algorithm, an audience, or accolades.
Disengaging doesn’t mean burying our heads in the sand or ignoring important issues. It means becoming intentional about what we allow into our minds and hearts. And paying attention so we’re not suckered into obvious bait click or a biased news story.
Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is step back.
- Turn off notifications.
- Put the phone down.
- Take a walk.
- Read a real book.
- Call a friend.
- Plant flowers.
- Host a dinner party.
- Visit a museum.
- Sit on the porch.
- Watch the sunset.
- Learn to enjoy silence again.
The goal isn’t ignorance: The goal is health.
Because when we spend every day emotionally activated, we don’t become wiser—we become weary. And weary people struggle to love well, think clearly, or live peacefully.
Maybe the healthiest question we can ask ourselves is this:
Is what I’m consuming helping me flourish—or fueling my anger?
For the sake of our minds, bodies, relationships, and souls, that question matters more than ever.
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” ~ Romans 12:18