News media wants to keep you angry, anxious, and depressed | Amanda Ripley
Credibility score: 61/100 — Mostly Credible. Mixed credibility - some claims are solid, others need verification.
BSmeter analyzed "News media wants to keep you angry, anxious, and depressed | Amanda Ripley" and rated it 61/100 for credibility (a BS score of 39/100 — mostly credible), on 2026-08-04. Its weakest claim — "The news finds us now, we can't escape it — a dramatic setup for a common observation." — scored 45/100 and was flagged as loaded language. 28 claims were checked against the video transcript. Scores are produced by BSmeter's AI analysis of the transcript, not independent human verification.
Claims analyzed
The news finds us now, we can't escape it — a dramatic setup for a common observation. — Loaded Language (45/100)
She's setting the stage with 'can't escape it' — a bit much for a text message, mortal. It's just a notification. 😈
No national news outlet trusted by more than half of American adults — a specific, verifiable claim. — No Frame (75/100)
A specific, verifiable stat. Fine. Even I can't argue with data when it's laid out like that. 😈
Lack of common reality makes solving problems hard — a logical leap from trust to societal breakdown. — Confidence Mismatch (45/100)
From 'trust issues' to 'no common reality' and 'can't solve problems' in one breath. That's a hell of a jump, mortal. 💀
News exploits division, making us vulnerable to conflict entrepreneurs and politicians. — Loaded Language (45/100)
She says 'exploit our division' like it's a grand conspiracy, not just how news works. It's a strong word for a predictable outcome. 😈
News must evolve based on psychology and human needs to be helpful in a globalized world. — No Frame (75/100)
A journalist saying news needs to adapt? Shocking. It's a call for evolution, not a claim. 😈
News used to be a source of connection, curiosity, and understanding for her. — Personal Story (60/100)
Ah, the good old days. She's just sharing her personal nostalgia, not making a universal claim. 😈
The 2016 election made her feel news was dysfunctional, only reinforcing beliefs or worsening divisions. — Confidence Mismatch (45/100)
She's confident the news 'was just not functioning' and only made things worse. That's a big leap from 'I started to feel like.' 💀
Personal story of news fatigue and therapist's advice. — Personal Story (60/100)
She's just recounting her own experience, mortal. It's not a claim, it's a diary entry. 😈
Citing Reuters Institute on news avoidance statistics. — No Frame (75/100)
She actually cited a source, mortal. A real one. I'm almost impressed. 🔥
Listing reasons for news avoidance from Reuters Institute survey. — No Frame (75/100)
More numbers, more sources. She's laying out the data, plain and simple. No tricks here. 😈
Blames political polarization for declining trust — a common, but broad, assertion. — No Frame (75/100)
A general observation, not a specific claim. It's a common talking point, but not a lie. 😈
Claims both parties see the other as an 'existential threat' — a dramatic generalization. — Loaded Language (45/100)
Calling the other side an 'existential threat' is a strong, emotional label. It's not a direct quote, but a characterization. 😈
Cites Reuters Institute 2022 data on trust in news — specific numbers, specific source. — No Frame (75/100)
They actually named the source and the year. A rare moment of clarity in this swamp. 🔥
Describes a 'negative feedback loop' of distrust and distortion — a logical, if bleak, observation. — No Frame (75/100)
A pretty straightforward description of how trust erodes. No tricks here, just the grim reality. 💀
Claims 'ego drive' and 'competitive pressure' to break news first — a common industry critique. — No Frame (75/100)
This isn't a secret, mortal. The race to be first often trumps being right. 😈
Newsrooms lose quality and fact-checking due to scramble to be first, competitive pressure, and lack of resources. — No Frame (75/100)
She's just laying out the grim reality of modern news, mortal. No tricks, just the ugly truth. 😈
Humans aren't equipped for constant global terrifying news bombardment. — No Frame (75/100)
A simple, undeniable truth, mortal. Your fragile minds weren't built for this constant feed of dread. 💀
Journalism's conventions mirror cognitive biases leading to depression/anxiety. — Confidence Mismatch (45/100)
She says 'every single thing' on a list she just 'happened across' — that's a bold leap from anecdote to universal truth, mortal. 🚩
Consuming a lot of news is known to lead to depression and anxiety. — Anonymous Authority (45/100)
She says 'we now know' like it's settled science, but offers no source, no study. Just a confident assertion, mortal. 😈
Claims neuroscience and psychology prove humans need hope, agency, dignity like water. 😈 — Anonymous Authority (45/100)
Says 'neuroscience and psychology' prove it, but names zero studies, zero researchers. Just a vague wave at science. 💀
Cites Shamil Idriss's observation on dignity in conflict zones as a universal human need. 😈 — Personal Story (60/100)
She's recounting a personal anecdote from a specific expert, not making a universal scientific claim. It's his observation, not a peer-reviewed paper. 🤷♀️
Claims 'three decades of research' prove collective action makes a difference. 😈 — Anonymous Authority (45/100)
Oh, 'three decades of research,' you say? And not a single study or name to back it up. That's not research, mortal, that's a vibe. 💀
Three decades of research, no names, no studies. Classic. 😈 — Anonymous Authority (45/100)
Says 'three decades of research' like it's a citation. No names, no studies, just a vague wave at 'science.'
Hope is a muscle, a skill developed through three decades of research. — No Frame — No Frame (75/100)
She's laying out a premise about hope being a skill, not a static state. No trickery here, just setting the stage. 😈
Defining hope as a skill developed through research — a straightforward premise. 😈 — No Frame (75/100)
She's laying out her premise about hope, connecting it to research. No tricks here, just setting the stage. 🔥
Big Think membership pitch. Get more content, early access. 💸 — Sponsored (50/100)
A direct call to action to become a paid member for exclusive content and early access.
Big Think membership pitch. — Sponsored — Sponsored (50/100)
Ah, the old 'join our exclusive club' pitch. Always a classic. 😈
Big Think membership pitch — classic call to action. 😈 — Sponsored (50/100)
Ah, the inevitable pitch. 'Dive deeper' always means 'pay more.' 💀
See the full analysis with sources and timestamps →