Capitalism's toxic positivity

Some things in this world truly suck. Talking about them is good.

Psychology Today defines toxic positivity as “avoiding, suppressing, or rejecting negative emotions or experiences.” We all need a sense of hope and optimism to push our lives forward, but some people act as if the world is all sunshine and rainbows, and that any mention of the more difficult aspects of life is bad and to be avoided. 

Here’s a quick explainer on why that’s not good, from Psychology Today:

“Denying negative feelings long term is harmful because it can prevent people from processing their emotions and overcoming their distress…Emotions contain important information; they can point the way toward changes that lead to fulfillment, happiness, and meaning. Genuine emotional expression also fosters authenticity, which is an essential ingredient of well-being.”

Success in the corporate machine requires a certain kind of toxic positivity as well. We live in a world that assumes making money is always good, no matter how it’s made (we can thank neoliberalism for that). Success in one place, or for one person, should always be celebrated, no matter what the consequences of that success might be. The podcast bros, the execs profiled in Forbes and the LinkedIn power users love this way of thinking. Any negative aspects of this or that company’s incredible achievements are, well, not there. There are no bad things happening in the thought leadership space. Good vibes only.

If only life was that simple. Some jobs truly make the world worse. Success for the oil industry means more melted glaciers and more forest fires. Success for tech billionaires means you and me spending even more of our lives staring into our phones.