7 Comments
User's avatar
Dave Reed's avatar

Now, follow people around who never worry and count how often they’re wrong. 😑

There’s a weird disconnect between whether worries are accurate or not and whether worry was warranted because bad shit actually happened. No evidence presented on that score, just generalized speculation.

As nonworrier, I get the agenda the researchers are pushing, but I’m not seeing evidence that not worrying will improve those people’s lives—just that they suck at worrying (which they already know).

Adam Singer's avatar

It depends -- if you don't meet a deadline because you didn't worry about it, maybe that person should worry more and actually finish their work. But if we're talking conscientious people who are broadly responsible I think the general trend here is to worry too much (at least in my friends group) and that's wholly counter-productive.

Dave Reed's avatar

Interesting thought. I wasn't considering foreseeable consequences, only random unpredictable ouchies. 🤔 As a nonworrier (which I arrogantly refer to as the warrior end of the worrier-warrior spectrum), I feel like I'm generally happier than people who worry all the time (like my wife). However, I have noticed that worriers, if deprived of obvious worries, will worry about not having any worries… 🤷‍♂️

Gregory Kennedy's avatar

What's concerning is that this post lacks a solid clickbait title and still gets 16 likes.

Adam Singer's avatar

I try not to do clickbait titles here, although last week's post was a provocative title which annoyed a few people, but that was on purpose to be parity with the original and demonstrate how silly it all is (I only do this occasionally to point out absurdities).

Gregory Kennedy's avatar

Sometimes I view my entire life as basically pointing out absurdities.

Kathryn Ossenfort, PhD's avatar

I love that last line. It reminds me of a technique from dialectical behavior therapy called "Bad News Radio."

Bad News Radio, bad news all the time. This just in: all worst-case scenarios will be realized today!

It certainly helps me create some distance from that highly inaccurate pundit in my own head.