Negative Emotions Sell

It seems to me that there are more people looking to buy negative emotions than there are people looking to buy positive emotions. They just sell better. We love a good scandal, or a report on the bad dudes out there, or to panic over the state of the economy, or be told we're all sinners. It's addicting. As are all emotions. You become addicted to the emotions that are most common in your life. And once you're addicted to an emotion, you'll do whatever it takes to get your daily fix. You'll go to great lengths, even causing misery and unhappiness in those around you. And it's all done as if in a dream.

Why don't more people just go out and buy "positive" emotions? Some do. They go after some dream that will "complete" them, or use chemicals.

But it doesn't work.

When you're working from the ego's point of view, it doesn't matter what emotions you're buying. You'll end up with those in the "negative" category anyway. Even if you're buying "positive" emotions, you'll get a high - and a low. Then you'll set out for another high - and here comes the low again.

Probably the first profound realization about human nature is that the cause of our sufferings is the false personality that's built around our thoughts, emotions and memories. The second (or joint) realization is that you're not that false personality - the ego - but you are the awareness that's noticing the false personality.

People realize that there's something fake in buying "good" emotions. So they either turn a blind eye and join the chase. Or cut the crap and immerse themselves in cynicism. A third solution is to realize that you don't need to "buy" emotions.