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Pushing back at a culture of relentless ‘toxic positivity’
CNN ^ | 2 May, 2024 | Terry Ward

Posted on 05/14/2024 8:32:38 PM PDT by anthropocene_x

Whether you’re in a yoga studio or the doctor’s office waiting room or scrolling through social media posts, positive affirmations encouraging you to live your best life can be found almost everywhere.

But what if you don’t feel like it? For mental health advocate and author Dave Tarnowski, society’s penchant to push what he calls “toxic positivity” felt like brainwashing. Tarnowski turned that positivity on its head when he launched his Disappointing Affirmations Instagram account in July 2022. It went viral and now has more than 2 million followers.

Tarnowski’s new book, “Disappointing Affirmations: Unfollow your dreams!” expands on his social media musings, pairing photos he’s taken of serene landscapes — waterfalls, dramatic coastlines, sunsets and the like — with some of his viral Instagram posts and new sayings.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: culture; toxic; toxicpositivity; work

1 posted on 05/14/2024 8:32:38 PM PDT by anthropocene_x
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To: anthropocene_x

That’s why the have CNN on the TVs in so many public places


2 posted on 05/14/2024 8:36:59 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: anthropocene_x

Funny stuff!

Wouldn’t sign up for Instagram for $1,000, but they seemed to let me browse a few pages before cutting me off.


3 posted on 05/14/2024 8:38:07 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Biden <3 Hamas!)
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To: anthropocene_x

The Perfection game experiments made me a believer.

Players that had folks cheering them on fared better than players that had folks jeering them.

I’m relentlessly optimistic.


4 posted on 05/14/2024 8:40:17 PM PDT by Freest Republican (There is no tyranny that cannot be justified by imbeciles)
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To: null and void; aragorn; EnigmaticAnomaly; kalee; Kale; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; bgill; bitt; ...

haha!!!

of course, if the patient had no sense of humor, he’d be driven to suicide..


5 posted on 05/14/2024 8:47:13 PM PDT by bitt (<img src=' 'width=30%>)
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To: anthropocene_x

I’m not 100 percent sure I understand the premise.

But one thing that drives me nuts is waiting on the phone for a long period of time while the endlessly repeating mobo-message keeps telling me how important my call is the them.

If my call is so f’ing important why not hire enough employees to actually ANSWER it!?!?


6 posted on 05/14/2024 9:09:34 PM PDT by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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To: anthropocene_x
Despair Inc did it first and better.


7 posted on 05/14/2024 9:20:53 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Roses are red, Violets are blue, I love being on the government watch list, along with all of you.)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Then she’ll just bring the dog to work.


8 posted on 05/14/2024 9:41:50 PM PDT by FLNittany (Autotune is jealous of Karen Carpenter)
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To: Freest Republican

>> I’m relentlessly optimistic.

I believe in Jesus Christ, and the Power of GOD through His Holy Spirit.

I am solidly optimistic.

That doesn’t mean I’m not open-eyed cognizant of the times we’re in.

“This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”


9 posted on 05/14/2024 9:59:30 PM PDT by Nervous Tick ("First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people...": ISLAM is the problem!)
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To: anthropocene_x

10 posted on 05/14/2024 10:02:04 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
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To: anthropocene_x

Maybe this is a bit like Catcher in the Rye? Showing that there needs to be room to be down, sometimes. It’s a big lie to expect every moment to be positive. Even Jesus wept. As the song goes:

Jesus walked this lonesome valley.
He had to walk it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;
He had to walk it by himself.


11 posted on 05/14/2024 10:47:33 PM PDT by married21 (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.)
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To: anthropocene_x

Rd later.


12 posted on 05/14/2024 11:09:14 PM PDT by NetAddicted (MAGA2024)
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https://despair.com/collections/demotivators


13 posted on 05/14/2024 11:50:45 PM PDT by deks (Deo duce, ferro comitante · God for guide, sword for companion)
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To: anthropocene_x

I love those disenchanting posters. Reality eventually takes hold and it’s better than any play.


14 posted on 05/15/2024 3:27:30 AM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (In a world of parrots and lemmings, be a watchdog.)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

A few years ago, my son’s employer went bankrupt just before Christmas. They had a bunch of those stupid motivational posters on the office walls. He liberated them and we all got motivational posters as a Christmas gag gift.

We all got him de-motivational posters from Despair the next Christmas.


15 posted on 05/15/2024 4:40:01 AM PDT by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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To: anthropocene_x

I’m not negative, pessimistic, depressed or despairing...I just have the appropriate reaction to the world as it is.


16 posted on 05/15/2024 6:02:07 AM PDT by KrisKrinkle (c)
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