--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays…" description: "\"“It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays on negative emotions far outnumbered those on positive emotions in the psychological literature. The ratio w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png" --- # It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays on negative… ![“It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays on negative emotions far outnumbered those on positive emotions in the psychological literature. The ratio was 21:1. Even those supreme perpetrators of pop nihilism, The New York Times and The Washington Post, have a better ratio than psychological…” quote by Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png) > ““It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays on negative emotions far outnumbered those on positive emotions in the psychological literature. The ratio was 21:1. Even those supreme perpetrators of pop nihilism, The New York Times and The Washington Post, have a better ratio than psychological literature. They average 12 negative stories to every one that might be construed to be non-negative. Many of their non-negative stories, however, cover success in sports and entertainment. I demand that the purveyors of despair who pretend to be dispassionate observes of the human condition go ahead and disclose that the 10 most beautiful words in the English languages are chimes, dawn, golden, hush, lullaby, luminous, melody, mist, murmuring, and tranquil; that Java sparrows prefer the music of Back over that of Schoenberg; that math experts have determined there are 1/96 trillion ways to lace up your shoes; that the Inuit term for making love is translated as ‘laughing together in bed;' and that according to Buckminster Fuller, “pollution is nothing but resources we’re not harvesting.”” [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the media’s focus on negativity, contrasting it with rare positive stories, and highlights overlooked beauty and wonder in language, nature, and ideas. **In simple terms:** Media overemphasizes negativity, ignoring many beautiful things. Key Takeaway Seek and share positive, beautiful aspects of life. Themes media bias negativity beauty optimism culture Mood reflective hopeful critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - news reporting - personal journaling - teaching - creative writing - public speaking Key Concepts psychology media studies lingistics anthropology environmentalism Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance news coverage? - What small wonders can we celebrate daily? A Different Perspective Positive stories are often underreported, limiting public morale. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [English language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-language/) [Essays Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essays-negative-3288270/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Laughing together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing-together/) [Making love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-love/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Negative emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-emotions/) [Negative Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-stories-598231/) [Negativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negativity/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Psychological Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological-literature-3288269/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Ratio Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ratio-psychological-3288271/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [My big "double-aha" moment came while anchoring the national news at CBS News. It was at the height of the recession, and on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-gielan/my-big-double-aha-moment-came-while-anchoring-the-national-news-at/) [Michelle Gielan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-gielan/) > [I'm not doing Pulitzer Prize work where I'm unearthing major negative stories about the UFC or some big controversies. It's just kind of day-to-day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-helwani/i-m-not-doing-pulitzer-prize-work-where-i-m-unearthing-major-negative/) [Ariel Helwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-helwani/) > [I have no negative stories about Deutsche Bank, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-eisman/i-have-no-negative-stories-about-deutsche-bank-period/) [Steve Eisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-eisman/) > [I'm a storyline. I'm the chosen one for negative stories and controversial things. If I worried about it all, I would go insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ndamukong-suh/i-m-a-storyline-i-m-the-chosen-one-for-negative-stories-and/) [Ndamukong Suh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ndamukong-suh/) > [There's a lot of responsibility involved in sharing a very personal story with a lot of people, and it's easier for others not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/there-s-a-lot-of-responsibility-involved-in-sharing-a-very-personal/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [Pay attention to the little things, because when you really miss someone you miss the little things the most, like just laughing together. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/pay-attention-to-the-little-things-because-when-you-really-miss/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [I do love an audience. For me, that's the ultimate. The best thing is feeling the crowd and having the same energy and laughing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-villasenor/i-do-love-an-audience-for-me-that-s-the-ultimate-the-best-thing-is/) [Melissa Villasenor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-villasenor/) > [“ A Brief for the Defense Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter everywhere. If babies are not starving someplace, they are starving somewhere else. With flies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gilbert/a-brief-for-the-defense-sorrow-everywhere-slaughter-everywhere-if/) [Jack Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gilbert/) > [Laughing together is as close as you can get to a hug without touching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-barreca/laughing-together-is-as-close-as-you-can-get-to-a-hug-without-touching/) [Gina Barreca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-barreca/) > [I'm a true country Southern girl that has always been built around family, cookouts and gatherings and being together on the holidays, singing together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fantasia-barrino/i-m-a-true-country-southern-girl-that-has-always-been-built-around/) [Fantasia Barrino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fantasia-barrino/) > [“You build a relationship on laughing together, discovering new things you never even imagined you might like, Pride and Prejudice for example, and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-darling/you-build-a-relationship-on-laughing-together-discovering-new-things/) [Annie Darling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-darling/) > [Couples who spend at least 10 minutes a day laughing together are more likely to have a stronger relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/couples-who-spend-at-least-10-minutes-a-day-laughing-together-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People do need a social license to go, "Ha ha ha," and have a good time. It's a strange thing. There's a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/people-do-need-a-social-license-to-go-ha-ha-ha-and-have-a-good-time/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [“I cannot picture what the life of the spirit would have been without him. He found me when my mind and soul were hungry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/i-cannot-picture-what-the-life-of-the-spirit-would-have-been-without/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [You know, there's nothing like seeing the smile on my kids' faces. Laughing together. Playing. It's the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/you-know-there-s-nothing-like-seeing-the-smile-on-my-kids-faces/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) ## More by Rob Brezsny > [May you eat an unfamiliar dessert in a strange land at least once every three years. May you wake up... and start dancing while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/may-you-eat-an-unfamiliar-dessert-in-a-strange-land-at-least-once/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Act as if the universe is a prodigious miracle created for your amusement and illumination. Assume that secret helpers are working behind the scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/act-as-if-the-universe-is-a-prodigious-miracle-created-for-your/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Your sweet spot is in between the true believers and the scoffing skeptics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/your-sweet-spot-is-in-between-the-true-believers-and-the-scoffing/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Not waiting for someone to give you what you can give yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/not-waiting-for-someone-to-give-you-what-you-can-give-yourself/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [If you bury your face in your tear-stained pillow and beg God to please send you your soul mate, may you not slur your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/if-you-bury-your-face-in-your-tear-stained-pillow-and-beg-god-to/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [I will never again cast a curse on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/i-will-never-again-cast-a-curse-on-myself/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [What worn-out shticks are blinding you to the blessings that life is conspiring to give you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/what-worn-out-shticks-are-blinding-you-to-the-blessings-that-life-is/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Blow kisses to the oak trees and sparrows and elephants and weeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/blow-kisses-to-the-oak-trees-and-sparrows-and-elephants-and-weeds/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Proclaim the only truth you can be totally sure of: "I don't know."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/proclaim-the-only-truth-you-can-be-totally-sure-of-i-don-t-know/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Your imagination is the single most important asset you possess. Your imagination is your power to create mental pictures of things that don't exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/your-imagination-is-the-single-most-important-asset-you-possess-your/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [“Imagine that the whole world belongs to you. The birch trees in New Hampshire's White Mountains are yours, and so are the cirrus clouds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/imagine-that-the-whole-world-belongs-to-you-the-birch-trees-in-new/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Here's what I say: We will ignore the cult of doom and gloom and embrace the cause of zoom and boom. We will laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/here-s-what-i-say-we-will-ignore-the-cult-of-doom-and-gloom-and/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [We're not going to waste our valuable space or your precious energy by giving equal time to stories of tragedy, failure, and tumult. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/we-re-not-going-to-waste-our-valuable-space-or-your-precious-energy/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [But you will be hard-pressed to find more than a few novels, films, news stories, and TV shows that dare to depict life as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/but-you-will-be-hard-pressed-to-find-more-than-a-few-novels-films/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [HYPOTHESES: Evil is boring. Cynicism is idiotic. Fear is a bad habit. Despair is lazy. Joy is fascinating. Love is an act of heroic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/hypotheses-evil-is-boring-cynicism-is-idiotic-fear-is-a-bad-habit/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) [Explore all 88 Rob Brezsny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays on negative emotions far outnumbered those on positive emotions in the psychological literature. The ratio was 21:1. Even those supreme perpetrators of pop nihilism, The New York Times and The Washington Post, have a better ratio than psychological literature. They average 12 negative stories to every one that might be construed to be non-negative. Many of their non-negative stories, however, cover success in sports and entertainment. I demand that the purveyors of despair who pretend to be dispassionate observes of the human condition go ahead and disclose that the 10 most beautiful words in the English languages are chimes, dawn, golden, hush, lullaby, luminous, melody, mist, murmuring, and tranquil; that Java sparrows prefer the music of Back over that of Schoenberg; that math experts have determined there are 1/96 trillion ways to lace up your shoes; that the Inuit term for making love is translated as ‘laughing together in bed;' and that according to Buckminster Fuller, “pollution is nothing but resources we’re not harvesting.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rob Brezsny" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essays-on-negative-emotions-far/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essays-on-negative-emotions-far/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/rob-brezsny-7732_books_it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essay_357276.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is noted that from 1967 to 1995 essays on negative emotions far outnumbered those on positive emotions in…” — Rob Brezsny", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rob Brezsny", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is noted that from 1967...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essays-on-negative-emotions-far/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/it-is-noted-that-from-1967-to-1995-essays-on-negative-emotions-far/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```