Community Chat

[GrailSeeker]

I recently came across the term "toxic positivity" for the first time during a podcast.

When I thought about toxic positivity, I thought of the black and white yin and yang, and thought how if you fail to see the dark side, you fail to see the whole, thus not getting a true or accurate picture of reality.  We balance through the ability to see both sides.

Lately I am noticing a trend to minimize dissenting opinions about all kinds of little things by referring to such opinions as shameful or nasty, when nothing shameful or nasty at all was said. It was  just a dissenting opinion. 

When the words shameful and nasty were used, they appeared to be in effort to support the positive opinion by severely minimizing the opinion that said "no" by calling it shameful and nasty. 

To me, this is an example of toxic positivity.   How would you define the term toxic positivity?  

[Love my grandkids]

@GrailSeeker I'm sitting here scratching my head and trying to think of an answer!

[suzyQ3]

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@GrailSeeker wrote:

I recently came across the term "toxic positivity" for the first time during a podcast.

When I thought about toxic positivity, I thought of the black and white yin and yang, and thought how if you fail to see the dark side, you fail to see the whole, thus not getting a true or accurate picture of reality.  We balance through the ability to see both sides.

Lately I am noticing a trend to minimize dissenting opinions about all kinds of little things by referring to such opinions as shameful or nasty, when nothing shameful or nasty at all was said. It was  just a dissenting opinion. 

When the words shameful and nasty were used, they appeared to be in effort to support the positive opinion by severely minimizing the opinion that said "no" by calling it shameful and nasty. 

To me, this is an example of toxic positivity.   How would you define the term toxic positivity?  

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@GrailSeeker, I got a little lost in this paragraph.

Otherwise, I think that, as always, we have to pinpoint rather than generalize. I'd have to read or hear the original statement or opinion before judging any reaction.

[GrailSeeker]

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@Love my grandkids wrote:

@GrailSeeker I'm sitting here scratching my head and trying to think of an answer!

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It is somewhat of an oxymoron, isn't it?

[GrailSeeker]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

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@GrailSeeker wrote:

I recently came across the term "toxic positivity" for the first time during a podcast.

When I thought about toxic positivity, I thought of the black and white yin and yang, and thought how if you fail to see the dark side, you fail to see the whole, thus not getting a true or accurate picture of reality.  We balance through the ability to see both sides.

Lately I am noticing a trend to minimize dissenting opinions about all kinds of little things by referring to such opinions as shameful or nasty, when nothing shameful or nasty at all was said. It was  just a dissenting opinion. 

When the words shameful and nasty were used, they appeared to be in effort to support the positive opinion by severely minimizing the opinion that said "no" by calling it shameful and nasty. 

To me, this is an example of toxic positivity.   How would you define the term toxic positivity?  

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@GrailSeeker, I got a little lost in this paragraph.

Otherwise, I think that, as always, we have to pinpoint rather than generalize. I'd have to read or hear the original statement or opinion before judging any reaction.

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Maybe you will come across what I am referring to if you are aware of the terms I referred to.  Not any one thread.

[Lali1]

I've never heard the term. Some of what you described I consider to be emotional thinking without considering all factors. Some things seem like they would be a great idea but there can be unintended or bad consequences from them. A little like someone who wants to make a big change and writes a list of pros but never a list of cons. And there are those people who ask for advice and then get mad when it's not what they wanted to hear. They don't want advice they want approval. 

[ValuSkr]

I think you are conflating reality and opinions.

• Yes: it's good to see both dark and good sides of situations. That's being realistic.
• Yes: it's okay to consider certain opinions shameful. I'll refrain from offering an example of a shameful opinion.

[GrailSeeker]

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@ValuSkr wrote:

I think you are conflating reality and opinions.

• Yes: it's good to see both dark and good sides of situations. That's being realistic.
• Yes: it's okay to consider certain opinions shameful. I'll refrain from offering an example of a shameful opinion.

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Well, I did say that the opinions were not "shameful" in any sense of the word.  Just mundane subject matter.

[kitcat51]

woke nonsense.

[Lali1]

I do see what you mean here a lot. I see it on other social media as well. It's not a bad thing someone is saying but some people won't allow anything but positive comments or they claim people are just rotten awful people for saying anything negative. People have a tendency to demonize anyone they don't agree with. It's an awful way to think of people. Creates a lot of hate which is not a good thing for humanity.