Have you ever been moved by popular short videos on Douyin or Kuaishou? An 80-year-old man walks 10 kilometers every day to sell eggs, just to save money for his seriously ill son. The comments below are all filled with likes: So touching! This is the great love of humanity!
Similar content is everywhere. "A disabled delivery man delivers food in the rain, never late," "A sanitation worker gets up at 4 a.m. to sweep the streets, still working hard in his sixties." The media loves to package these stories as positive energy, but have you ever thought about what they reflect? An 80-year-old man, who should be enjoying his old age with grandchildren, has to brave the wind and rain to raise money for his sick son. Is this really positive energy? A disabled person delivering food, a sanitation worker over fifty still waking up early and working hard, is this really their choice? Or are these just helpless actions forced by life? What issues in our society are reflected in this?
Some say, "You're being too negative; we should praise their strength!" But wait, why should we praise suffering? Is suffering a virtue?
This is truly a strange trend, as if the more hardship one endures, the more deserving of praise they are. Look at how hard this person has it; we should learn from him! Is our goal to make everyone suffer? The ones who truly deserve praise are those who strive to change their circumstances.
Have you noticed why we always see "positive energy" from the lower class but rarely stories of "positive energy" from the wealthy? Is suffering the exclusive domain of the lower class? Or do some people hope that the lower class will always maintain a "contented and happy" mindset? To put it bluntly, they want to keep them as donkeys, using "positive energy" as a whip to drive them. We always praise those stories of "after hardship comes happiness," but have we ever considered why some people have to endure so much suffering? Have we mythologized "suffering" itself, ignoring the social issues behind it? If so, who will think about why so many people live so difficult lives?
True positive energy should inspire people to pursue a better life, encourage them to unite and speak up for their rights. It should promote social progress, allowing everyone to live with dignity.
Unfortunately, much of the so-called "positive energy" today has become a numbing poison. It beautifies suffering and glosses over reality, making people believe that suffering is a blessing. Layer upon layer of filters make us see only the shiny surface, while ignoring the undercurrents beneath. This kind of "positive energy" merely consumes the suffering of others as cheap inspirational stories, using others' hardships to satisfy one's own sense of superiority. I remember watching fireflies as a child. That faint glow seemed particularly beautiful in the dark. But as I grew up, I learned that fireflies glow to attract mates; it is a struggle for survival.
Isn't real life the same?