Pollution, climate change, and overpopulation are just a few of the major global issues that are yet to be solved. Posts about these issues are omnipresent on social media, along with comments sections full of people exclaiming that humanity is doomed. This nihilistic content is extremely harmful, particularly for teenagers, as they spend significant time on social media. Moreover, while it is true that these major global issues have yet to be solved, adopting a mindset that states these problems are insurmountable achieves nothing. The constant stream of pessimism can make people feel hopeless, deteriorating their mental well-being and decreasing their motivation to enact change.

With teenagers’ dependability on social media comes the increased risk of being exposed to misinformation or biased content, making it nearly impossible to discern what is true from false. A 2022 study conducted by the Common Sense Media found that on average, teenagers spend around eight and a half hours on social media platforms each day. Moreover, reports from the World Press Institute in 2022, found that about 50 percent of teenagers use Facebook or YouTube over credible news sources to obtain their news. As a result of engaging with such distorted and inaccurate content, teens often feel overwhelmed by the negativity, and they see this feeling reflected in the “doomer,” an internet character that depicts a man living a life of helplessness and despair.

While it may be convenient to indulge in this doomer mindset, the more effective approach to combating personal and global issues is by embracing positivity, which can improve one’s mental health as well as their problem-solving skills. Focusing on positivity helps lower stress levels and anxiety, which is important for both emotional wellbeing and physical health. For instance, a study done by Kansas University in 2012 found that smiling and fake smiling both reduce heart rate and blood pressure in stressful situations.

Importantly, students who remain optimistic, rather than pessimistic, are more confident and creative when approaching problems, as they’re better at handling their emotions. Research done by Edward Chang of Oxford University in 2013 also revealed that individuals exposed to optimistic thoughts demonstrated significantly better problem solving skills than those exposed to neutral or negative thoughts. This means that promoting critical thinking and problem solving skills starting as teenagers will take us towards a solution for our global problems much more effectively.

It is essential to identify what PHS can do to help embrace optimism. One way to spread positivity is by incorporating it into our daily lives. The school can recognize and reward efforts to build a more positive environment, not just achievements, to build morale. For example, in PHS Principal Cecilia Birge’s weekly newsletters, there could be a section dedicated to sharing motivational stories or uplifting quotes. In a world where negativity is more prevalent than ever, building a positive mindset is the most crucial step towards solving our global problems.