Why are most comments negative?

Posted Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at 12:18 PM

I love Greene County, considering I have left several times just to come back.

I have lived here almost all of my life. The atmosphere is great, and no matter where you go there is no doubt you will run into someone that you know. It is impossible to go to a store without at least having one conversation with someone you went to high school with, or a family member.

I just have one complaint. I worry about our priorities as a community. I have only been a reporter for the Greene County Daily World for a short time, and in that short time I have written several positive stories about fundraisers and events that are meant to help someone.

Just to mention a few, I went to the Relay for Life, and wrote a preview for White River Valley Worthington's Alex's Lemonade Stand. Both raised money for the American Cancer Society.

The Greene County Recycling Center held an event that got trash out of our houses and yards. A man got recognized by the American Red Cross for his efforts in Greene County. The late Tom Jones was honored by the Senate. A former marine who lost both of his legs in Fallujah came to speak to students at an alternative school.

Well, I frequently visit the website to check comments because I love the positive feedback, and want to know if I goof something up. I was appalled that there was a total of maybe 20 comments combined on these positive and moving stories, but a story about a woman with meth in a nursing home had almost 50!

Both of the "most viewed" and "most commented" tabs were filled with negative stories.

Why is it that when we hear a negative story, it will spread like wildfire through our county, but no one will tell their friends about an event that will raise money to save lives?

Have we gotten that lost within ourselves? Sure, some of the comments were people saying that they would pray for that woman, but why can't we pray for those second graders who are taking an entire day to raise money for dying children?

Just take a moment to think before you speak. Depression and mental health issues are on the rise, and maybe that would decline if we did not let so much negativity into our day-to-day lives.

Our community is so close, and it is impossible to stop the drama queens and naysayers. Hopefully, one by one we can spread the word about the happiness, and leave the negativity to those who are facing it. It is really none of our business, why do we feel like we have to feed off of it?

Comments
Showing most recent comments first
[Show in chronological order instead]

The media gives us as a society what we want, which is apparently garbage. GCDW, I am not referring to you as a single entity, but to all media. To everyone wondering why they don't give more coverage to "positive" articles, it is because we are a bloated, TMZ society, with the attention span of a gnat. The net makes it very easy to see what types of stories attract the most hits. If we as a society didn't "vote" for the less positive stories with traffic to those stories, they would cease to exist. But we gobble up garbage like a unfettered goat.

The Internet can bring out the best in people, but it also can bring out the worst, and the comments section of every news site, forum, bbs, blog etc, reflect that. This newspaper site is no different.

-- Posted by just sayin'... on Mon, May 30, 2011, at 12:19 AM

I usually don't read the comments and rarely reply. If we all try to say something positive maybe it'll be like "pay it forward" or "pass it on" ... anyway try to give a smile to someone today that needs it. A friendly nod can sure lift spirits.

-- Posted by GlorifyGod on Sat, May 28, 2011, at 11:22 PM

I love your pic. You look really cute!! Teri, Shari's friend.

-- Posted by Dallas13 on Fri, May 27, 2011, at 11:13 AM

As for the comment "Both of the "most viewed" and "most commented" tabs were filled with negative stories", Don Henley said it best when he sang "I make my living off the evening news.Just give me somethin', somethin' I can use. People love it when you lose, they love dirty laundry". It's just human nature.

-- Posted by whatanut on Fri, May 27, 2011, at 6:35 AM

elynn66:

I think the negative comments that she is referring to are not negative to the story printed but negative to a person in a story that was printed. Such as slamming the person's character, claiming they deserved it or hammering them further. When a person is in trouble I think she would not like everyone to pile on further. Let the courts, the judges or the law do their job. Sometimes the comments are just hit-and-run negativity.

Now if the paper starts to print negative opinions inside a news story, then we all need to shout "WRONG". As the paper is to report the news story to the masses and get the "How, When, Where, and Why" right.

-- Posted by bhobbs on Thu, May 26, 2011, at 10:39 AM

I find it odd that one who works at the very paper producing the negative articles would "complain" about the negative feedback that the articles receive. Usually the feedback aren't a complaint about the article it is usually a complaint about the act that the newspaper is reporting on. I thought that was what the comment section was for, to voice your "opinion" I personally don't look at it as negative or positive, I like to see what people think about say, the meth pipe story!

-- Posted by elynn66 on Thu, May 26, 2011, at 10:13 AM

All said and done we need more positive newspaper, tv, and internet news! There will always be sad news but we should try to balance it all out just like we should balance our lives-not too positive and not too negative! Be intend you are alive and well!

-- Posted by CountryGirl26 on Thu, May 26, 2011, at 9:20 AM

Why don't you count how many negative comments are being done by people who are hiding behind a phony user name. If everyone was required to use their own name, then maybe they will think more before firing off a negative or hateful comment.

Keep all the positive stories coming please and maybe someday the negative attitudes may just start to swing more positive.

-- Posted by bhobbs on Thu, May 26, 2011, at 7:18 AM

The reason people's comments are negative is because it's human nature. It's human nature to be bad. However, it's also human nature to WANT to be/do good. I think a lot of us have yet to harness that will to be good and put it at the forefront of our lives.

Also, a lot of the people who would make positive comments just don't comment because of all the negativity.

-- Posted by acutabove on Thu, May 26, 2011, at 7:09 AM

Is it helpful to comment that the "community comment negativity" is because of our fellow citizens or the national media (or even the local). By placing blame on others, are we attempting to exonerate ourselves or deny responsibility for any of the negativity?

Honestly, I think part of the problem is that some of the people who make negative comments do not see them as such.

I do think there is some truth to the notion there is "group think" and therefore groups of people from the same area often have the same exact opinions about things. So perhaps there is a case of some negative group think going on.

Another thought is that many folks for generations have set around in coffee clatches talking about current events or gossiping about what they heard or saw. It is a culture of talking about (or complaining) about things and feeling helpless to fix the situation. Younger folks who have gone away and come back seem to have a better attitude about things because they've seen how bad it really is "out there" and know how great things are here.

And then, some folks just like to be mean.

-- Posted by Greenee on Thu, May 26, 2011, at 1:08 AM

well, first, thanks for writing and bringing this to other's attention. but my only issue with this.....where do we get our news? from the numerous television news shows and a few various newspapers available in the area. and almost everyday, the news is filled with negativity after negativity. and you ask why the people are so negative? maybe because the news continuos to keep people under control by making them fear everything in the world. so, i figure if you think about it long enough you'll figure out why everyone's so negative. i got faith in ya!

-- Posted by travis.jerrell on Wed, May 25, 2011, at 11:46 PM

First of all, I feel as though this is a VERY negative country, so we, in Greene County, get it the honest way.

Secondly, I love a positive, up lifting, inspirational article - I love to read about the great people and/or the organizations who do the fabulous things to give me that warm, fuzzy feeling - they are the first articles I read.

Last but not least; if it's none of our business, then why do you print it.

When I read about the woman in the nursing home; I said a prayer for her and was glad she was caught with it - now maybe, hopefully, she will get the help she so desparately needs - I rejoyce when a child molester is arrested, but am so sorrowful for the victims....we need the good news as well as the bad - and the comment section gives us "the right" to say what we really feel about the subject ! We're not "feeding" off it - we are expressing our opinions.

-- Posted by willow on Wed, May 25, 2011, at 5:58 PM

My hometown

By Sabrina Westfall

- Recent posts
- Archives
- Blog RSS feed

- Comments RSS feed

- Send email to By Sabrina Westfall
- Login

Hot topics

New college grad is always there for me
(0 ~ 12:43 PM, May 8)

Should I toss fish back in or into frying pan?
(1 ~ 6:26 PM, May 4)

It was a happy ending for little lost pup
(0 ~ 1:38 PM, Apr 24)

There are lots of people willing to help
(1 ~ 3:49 PM, Apr 17)

We have many incredible people in our area
(1 ~ 5:09 PM, Apr 13)

Home