Pastor Ponderings #179: Rage Bait

Digital content like social media, videos and news articles are designed to attract attention. Their aim is more often to elicit engagement from the reader than to qualitatively inform. They grab you with an offensive headline, a startling question or shocking photo. Sometimes the content isn’t even related to the headline! Their substance is designed to divide, inflame, offend, and enrage. All of this is intentional.

The creator’s goal is to draw a response from you by tapping into your human negativity bias. This triggers a response making you feel compelled to comment or correct. Algorithms, which are constantly working in the background, interpret your response as quality engagement. They see this negative response as a win. More outrage means more engagement which leads to more views and more shares and more advertising opportunity and more ad revenue.

Sadly, the opportunity for profit often drives creators to chase clicks and views over truth or valuable information. Raising alarm bells or feeding off general fears are common fare in the social media landscape. Systems built into platforms reward this fear mongering and the outrageous claims by pushing them into newsfeeds creating the illusion that extreme views are actually common. This leads to some people turning away from news sources while others adopt the anger offered them, while others spread false ideas and wild theories about what’s going on in the world. The impact on individuals and society is harmful. It reminds me of a headline in the second Psalm:

Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.”

What if I told you there can be a fruitful engagement of your rage? Engage your rage for good, not for destruction. Picture the engagement of rage from the Green Hulk. Hulk smash! His reaction to rage doesn't fix things, it breaks things. Imagine if all that pent up energy and effort was released on something productive rather than destructive. Righteous anger that leads to righteous action can be God honoring. Attempts to bottle up your anger can curdle your attitude and cause it to become sour malice and rage, which both lead to sinful activity. Psalm 2 again:

Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Given the societal landscape, the appropriate anger-fueled action can be difficult to discern. But God’s word again provides the answer. Kiss the Son, yield to Him and place your trust in the good news He offers. Anger, as we all know can be a high octane accelerant for action. That combustible energy must be directed in a God-honoring fashion. If not, the enemy camp has much experience exploiting righteous indignation by converting it into thoughtless rage. Many Christians have fallen prey to such rage bait.