to wonder if people genuinely only want to read Bad/Sad/Crap news?

[Unacceptable]

So many people in my social circle knew nothing about Felix Baumgartner last night.

All of them either read a daily paper, watch the news or some daily talk show type programme so I can only assume that the awful stuff takes their attention so much that anything positive falls straight off radar. When I was talking about being gripped last night the people I spoke to were really interested ( I think!! ) and I naively thought it'd be a huge news story today, but although it grabbed front pages the rubbish stuff still largely dominates.

You name a current, dark, depressing story and my family, friends and acquaintances are full of information and opinions. Am I just mixing in the wrong circles or am I just a bit sulky and pissed off because people don't seem to find pleasure in the same things I do?

I kind of remember a newspaper that attempted to focus on positive stories from years ago but nobody else I've spoken to seems to remember it.
Why is bad news so much more interesting than good?

I fear that someone using gravity to fall fast is not as newsworthy as someone being cut up, burning or otherwise maimed. It's just the way the world works these days.

I think it's like the old 'You're more likely to complain to a company than contact them with a good review'.

The negative stays in our subconscious longer than the positive? Maybe. Something like that.

Or you're a massive nerd like me who is into space and crazy things

Oh I'm definitely on the nerdy side mrscumberbatch

Ahh see, it's like a sixth sense...... or just magnets if you want to get scientific about it.

Nerds attract nerds. Your family and friends are not nerds. Or are the wrong kind of nerds.

Bad news has gone around the world before good news has it's boots on.

MrsTerryPratchett that is a fantastic saying but I've only heard before that A lie has gone around the world before the truth has put it's boots on and when it comes to newspapers/media I reckon either saying is probably very apt! not only am I a bit of a geek but am a cynical old sod too