Hello. This is 6 Minute
English from BBC Learning
English. I'm Sam.
And I'm Neil.
Have you heard the expression
doomscrolling, Neil?
It's when people spend a lot
of time reading, or 'scrolling',
a mobile phone or computer screen
in order to read negative
news stories – stories full of doom.
I hate to admit it,
but I do sometimes doomscroll.
Well don't feel too bad,
Neil, because you're
not alone. Research from
the University of California
found that people all over
the world doomscroll,
regardless of culture.
What's more, there may
even be evolutionary reasons
why we're attracted to bad news.
In this programme, we'll be
investigating why we feel
compelled to look at,
and even seek out,
bad news. And, as usual,
we'll be learning some
new vocabulary, as well.
But before that I have
a question for you, Neil.
Doomscrolling is a very modern
idea which is only possible
with the 24/7, non-stop cycle
of news reporting.
So, according to international
news agency, Reuters,
what has been the top
global news story of 2023
so far? Is it:
a) The war in Ukraine?
b) Increasing prices and inflation?,
or, c) Prince Harry's autobiography?
I think the answer is
an issue that's affecting
everyone – inflation.
OK, Neil. I'll reveal
the answer at the end
of the programme.
Now, it might be true
that the non-stop news cycle
makes doomscrolling possible,
but that doesn't explain
why we do it. Anthropologist
Ella al-Shamahi thinks the answer
may lie in human evolution.
Here she outlines the problem
for BBC Radio 4 programme,
Why Do We Do That?
We go searching out for
bad news, looking for things
that will make us feel ick
inside. And so many of
us do it. Is it a result
of 24/7 doom on tap on our phones?
Or, is it some kind of
compulsion that comes
from somewhere way, way back?
Reading bad news stories
makes us feel ick –
an informal American phrase
which means feel sick,
often because of something
disgusting or disturbing.
It's a feeling caused by the
fact that, thanks to the internet,
now we have the news on tap
– easily available so that
you can have as much of
it as you want,
whenever you want.
But Ella thinks that's
not the whole story.
There's another theory:
way back in human history,
when we lived in caves,
it seemed everything could kill us,
from wild animals to eating
the wrong mushroom. Knowing
what the dangers were, and
how to avoid them, was vital
to our survival, and from
an evolutionary perspective,
survival is everything.
As a result, we humans naturally
pay attention to the negative stuff,
something Ella calls 'negativity bias'.
But while cavemen only
knew what was happening in
their local area, nowadays
we know the bad news from
all over the world.
Here's Ella again, discussing
this with her friend,
TV presenter, Clara Amfo,
for BBC Radio 4 programme,
Why Do We Do That?
Before it would be like,
I don't know, I'm assuming
you'd go to the neighbour's
cave and they'd only know...
the bad news from...
that particular mountain.
Whereas now, it's like,
'Let me tell you about the
really bad information and
situation that's going on
in some island somewhere...'.
It's just the good news
doesn't make up for it...
It really doesn't, and I think
trauma's romanticised, really.
'What doesn't kill you
makes you stronger',
'this is a test'.
I think we're conditioned to
believe that negative experiences
shape us more than joyous ones.
Reading bad news from
around the world can depress us,
and Ella thinks that the
little good news we do hear
doesn't make up for the
depressing news. To make up
for something means to compensate
for something bad with
something good.
Good news is hard
to find. In fact,
Clara thinks society has
romanticised bad, traumatic news.
If you romanticise something,
you talk about it in a way
that makes it sound better
than it really is.
Connected to this is
the saying, 'What doesn't
kill you makes you stronger',
meaning that by going through
difficult experiences in life,
people build up strength
and resilience for the future.
Maybe it's best to stop doomscrolling
altogether, but with so
much bad news pouring
into our mobile phones
every day, it's not easy.
OK, it's time to reveal
the answer to my question,
Neil. I asked you what
news agency, Reuters,
considers the top news
story of 2023 so far.
And I guessed it
was b) inflation.
Which was... the correct answer,
although there's still
plenty of time for 2023
to bring us more doom,
hopefully along with a little
positivity too.
OK, let's recap the vocabulary
we've learned from this
programme about doomscrolling
– spending lots of time
reading bad news stories
on your phone.
Feeling ick is American
slang for feeling sick,
often because of something
disgusting or disturbing.
When something is on tap,
it's easily available
so that you can have
of much of it as you want.
The phrasal verb to make
up for something means
to compensate for something
bad with something good.
When we romanticise something,
we make it sound better
than it is.
And finally, the saying
'what doesn't kill you
makes you stronger' means
that by going through difficult
life experiences, people
build up strength for
the future.
Once again our
six minutes are up,
but if doomscrolling's not
for you, remember you
can find lots of positive
news stories to build
your vocabulary here at
6 Minute English.
Don’t forget that
there is more to BBC Learning
English than 6 Minute English.
Why not try to improve
your vocabulary through the
language in news headlines.
Try the News Review video
on our website or download
the podcast.
But that's bye
for now! Bye!