Good Sh*t You Should Know
- Zara Hussain
- Aug 21, 2024
- 3 min read
With racist riots and political debates, it’s no secret that the current media landscape is rather depressing. As a society, we are clouded by a cynical view on things, the consistently negative news only sets us back further.
While it’s essential for the media to report on negative events and hold institutions accountable, the overwhelming focus on tragedy can warp our sense of reality. Studies have shown that when individuals consume a steady diet of negative news, their feelings of anxiety, stress, and helplessness increase. This one-sided view of the world can lead to a feeling of hopelessness and even apathy towards the issues we face.
Positive news has the power to restore balance. Uplifting stories about human resilience, community efforts, and inspiring achievements can not only brighten our day but also encourage a more nuanced understanding of the world. They remind us that while challenges exist, so do solutions and opportunities for positive change. By making space for positive news, we empower ourselves to believe in the capacity for good in humanity.
So, let’s combat this with some recent, good news stories!
1) Baby beavers have been born in urban parts of London, for the first time in over 400 years.
2) Thousands of fans were given free CPR training while attending the Euros. To save others in cardiac arrest.
3) Lola Anderson won gold in the Olympic rowing, after her late dad gave her an old diary entry as a child, expressing her dreams of winning.
4) People in Virginia saved flowers from landfill, bringing them back to life by redeploying them.
5) Strangers in New Jersey teamed up to pay for the funeral of a 92-year-old woman, Leonia, who had no living friends or family.
6) Portland publics schools now provide free breakfast and lunch to all students.
7) Olympic cyclist for Nigeria, Ese Ukpeseraye was given a bicycle from the German competitors, as she didn’t have one.
8) An animal shelter in South Carolina celebrates all kennels being empty after the community fostered the animals during an emergency storm evacuation.
9) Shaquille O’Neal has sold over 200 million pairs of affordable shoes to those struggling, despite being mocked initially.
10) Colleen Knull, an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter saved 16 hikers, leading them to safety after a wildfire.
11) George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fischer, frontman of Cannibal Corpse, plays every claw machine he can, to donate the toys to a children’s hospital.
12) Finland ended homelessness, buying flats for rough sleepers. They now save €15,000 per homeless person per year.
13) Twin sisters, Doris Ward and Loris Pryor celebrates their 100th birthday together.
14) Megan Thee Stallion donated generators to elderly people left without power after a hurricane, in her hometown, Houston.
15) A stray dog, Scout, who repeatedly snuck into a nursing home became adopted.
16) 13-year-old Jaequan Faulkner’s hot-dog stand was reported to authorities, who then gave him a permit and helped to equip him, instead of shutting him down.
17) Mark Motta, a recycling worker saved a stray kitten from his waste compactor.
18) Gambia voted to uphold a ban of female genital mutilation.
19) A $1 billion donation covered the tuition for all med students at the Bronx Medical School.
20) The number of tigers in Thailand has doubled, now recovering steadily from the rise in population of prey.
I hope this made you smile. I had to hold myself back from using too many exclamation marks, and of course had to discuss something cat related – I am a crazy cat lady after all...
In a world inundated with incidents that are simply out of our control, let’s take a moment every now and then, to focus on the good. To restore our faith in humanity and cultivate a hopeful, engaged culture among us. We can control the media landscape and change our reactions and behaviours when consuming news.
Here are some helpful links / ideas on where to find out more!
- Hopecore on TikTok – lots of videos showcasing reasons to restore our faith in humanity!
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