Twin Stars
We live in an explosive universe!
Why Dwell on Negativity?
The media revels in stories of disaster, incompetence, corruption, war, and murder. Why? Why dwell on terrible things? Why watch accounts of January 6th over and over again? For that matter, why tune into a boxing match to see fighters bloodied? What makes the crowd roar? And why do ice hockey spectators covet brawls that end in the penalty box? Why go to movies like All Quiet on the Western Front?
According to Psychology Today, human brains are wired with a bias toward negativity and aggression. A nasty word hurled at us will remain in our heads for decades. Political smear campaigns outperform positive ones. Psychologists believed that focusing on what is terrible evolved to keep us out of harm’s way. They can see electrical activity in the cerebral cortex become greater with downbeat news than good news. Unfortunately, this makes it hard for people to get along. In good marriages, couples find a balance between negativity and positivity. Society might also benefit by focusing on balance.
A brain wired toward aggressive behavior is helpful if you have to hunt for food or protect one’s young from predators. Physical violence is part of the survival-of-the-fittest struggle that evolved with specialized neural circuitry. However, we also have rational brains that tell us aggression comes with risks; getting hurt is one. Society developed ways to make aggressive behavior socially acceptable. Violent sports fall into that category, and with it comes pain.
Common sense says to seek pleasure, not pain, but people don’t always listen to reason. They pound the pavement jogging until knee joints need to be replaced. Some go further, inflicting pain on themselves as a management method. When I complained to my father about a headache as a child, I got a slap on my arm in return. “Ouch! Why did you do that?” I shouted. “So you’ll forget your headache,” he answered. Fighting pain with pain is a remedy people with chronic diseases use to get by. Teenagers cut themselves to alleviate the psychological distress that wracks their waking hours. It hurts so much; it feels good. A person engaged in this type of self-aggressive behavior endures pain, coveting the relief that follows.
The link between pleasure and pain is related to the hippocampus in the nervous system’s control center. Pain causes endorphins to be released that block pain and induce feelings of euphoria. A “runner’s high” kicks in when muscle pain receptors send a message through the spinal cord to the areas activated by passionate love and music. The body’s narcotics (endorphins) block the pain and stimulate the limbic and prefrontal regions to provide a post-pain rush similar to a high of morphine. This helps people cope in the aftermath of an injury.
But why try to knock out opponents while boxing? It’s a way to control aggressive impulses so they don’t get out of hand. For many boxers, their opponents are mere obstacles to their goal of becoming a champ. They are single-minded, with a type of aggression that isn’t personal. They come from various backgrounds and train for cardio, strength-building, balance, and agility. Boxers also suffer from being hit. Brain injuries and cauliflower ears are risks they live with.
It’s the fans that are most interesting to me. According to the Guardian, they are lured to the sport by a desire to see a fighter experience and overcome pain and adversity. The Guardian considers boxing fans the most vociferous and voracious of all attendees at sporting events. Fans transfer their aggressive instincts to the boxers who face suffering to become triumphant. They view their preferred athlete’s win as one for themselves. They aren’t supermen themselves but are attracted to courage, aggression, and grit.
A type of self-inflicted pain that gets my attention is self-sacrifice. Some people act instinctively, as did the person who chased a thief who stole my daughters purse. The man good samaritan, unfortunately, fell over the curb and hurt himself. Others are willing to act aggressively when they belong to something so substantial that they’re willing to be maimed or die for it. People take horrendous risks for power, political beliefs, and religious dogma. According to Oxford University researchers, self-sacrifice is ruled by visceral feelings of oneness with a collective or movement that is hostile toward those outside the group. Their shared feelings are forged through emotional, life-shaping experiences. Think about the rallies and riots that unite people to war, the politicians that rile up crowds and tell them to fight, and the groups that inspire individuals to kill physicians trying to save the lives of pregnant women.
Fundamentalism, terrorism, sports extremism, drug turf fights, and tribal wars are led by highly cohesive organizations that fuse members into a singular positive mindset they consider to be positive and speak negatively of their opponents. Their members find strength in belonging, no matter how bizarre the doctrine, and will act aggressively to further their cause. Their actions trip the pleasure centers of their brain, making them want to do more. I’ve spoken to individuals who left a cult yet still crave the companionship, excitement, and certitude the group provided. It is difficult to divest yourself of these feelings if there’s nothing to take its place.
Unfortunately, when people think the system doesn’t work for them, they often believe the only way to deal with it is to destroy it. Violence can spark a movement and motivate people to act, but it won’t sustain victory. Thankfully, our rational mind can mediate the wired-in negativity, leading to violence. According to Gordon Rabrenovic, director of the Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, “There’s certainly more evidence that peaceful protests are more successful because they build a wider coalition.”
Society needs tools other than negativity to institute change. With over eight billion people worldwide, we will never just live among like-minded people. We must stop complaining about “others” and start looking for the many positive attributes we admire. Building a broad coalition that brings people together is essential.
Art is always for sale. Twin Stars is a 16″ by 20″ acrylic on canvas painting, framed. Available for $ 395. Shipped free in the continental U.S. For information, contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com
References:
Mario, E. (2016) Why We Love Bad NewsPsychology Today. retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200305/why-we-love-bad-news
Cowart, L What Makes Someone Seek Pain for Pleasure? New York Times. retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/books/review/hurts-so-good-leigh-cowart.html
Franklin, J (2010) How Pain Can Make You Feel Better. Scientific American. retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-pain-can-make-you-fee/
Gorvett, Z. (2015) Why Pain Feels Good. BBC. retrieved https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151001-why-pain-feels-good
University of Oxford website, (2015)Dying for the group: what motivates the ultimate sacrifice? Retrieved from https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2018-03-05-dying-group-what-motivates-ultimate-sacrifice#:~:text=Previous%20theories%20of%20extreme%20self,diminished%20mental%20health%20and%20depression
Hoorkovska, I. (2022) What is Chronic Self-Sacrifice? Is Self-Sacrifice Schema a Bad Ting? Calmer. retrieved from https://calmerry.com/blog/self-esteem/what-is-chronic-self-sacrifice-is-self-sacrifice-schema-a-bad-thing/
Reid, A. (2022) Ironl Hate. Talk Sport. retrieved from https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1073511/mike-tyson-tyrell-biggs-knock-out-fight/
Jeff Pryor,(2013) The appeal of boxing to its fans. The Guardian. retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/queensberry-rules-boxing-blog/2013/dec/13/appeal-boxing-fans
Fields, D. (2021) The Roots of Human Aggression. NIH National Library of Medicine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8284101/
I look forward to reading your comments below.
Art is always for sale. Twin Stars is a 16″ by 20″ Acrylic on Canvas Painting, Framed. Aailabe for
