As the year comes to an end and the holiday season peaks, so does stress. There are also people hoping to profit from creating stress. One way of avoiding stress is quite simple: avoid arguments simply for the point of being hateful or negative with no intention of trying to understand one another. In other words, avoid rage bait.
Rage baiting is a term that implies that someone is aiming to provoke anger in order to increase online engagement, revenue and support for themselves. Political think tanks and media personalities can make incredibly outlandish and sometimes downright false claims, all in the hopes of gaining a large public reaction, where they in turn make an income off of the division and angry responses. Many have realized the potential for business in creating rage bait. Political and social turmoil opens opportunities for rage bait content. From established politicians to small influencers on social media platforms, anyone can create and profit from rage bait.
Outside of major media outlets, there are many other avenues for rage baiting as well. Anything from cultural events to sports matches can fall victim to rage bait. There is always some level of division and anger between humans and large gatherings of people for different reasons giving people the opportunity to manipulate others for profit.
No matter if it is online with random strangers or with major politicians the news, know that many of them are playing a hateful game for clout and profit. Realize the incentives that these people have when making these claims, and block it out. The positive effect on your mental well being and overall view of the world will undoubtedly be remarkably better.
To avoid falling for rage bait, there are a number of precautionary steps one can take. Avoid doom scrolling through social media platforms, because the algorithm on these platforms will keep feeding rage bait if you keep scrolling. Avoid getting in arguments with strangers online over offensive claims that are, oftentimes, just trying to get a reaction for clicks. When coming across rage bait content, block people or groups on social media platforms that are only there to spread negativity. Instead, spend time doing something that is not stress inducing, like watching a good show or spending time with friends and family.
The aim of rage bait is to make the viewer stressed and angry. Do not fall for this trap. Prevent falling into a negative mindset and filling rage baiters’ pockets by choosing to ignore it. Go a step further and do something else to stay focused and positive.
