Why are we so often in a bad mood, Economist?
Why are we so often in a bad mood, Economist?
A daily chat about a better tomorrow / #35
P: Hello, Economist.
E: Hello, Photographer.
P: Sometimes people's bad mood puts me in a really bad mood.
E: That's the way people are. It's in their genes. We have high attention to bad news. That has ensured our survival for thousands of years.
P: Can we please drop this attitude?
E: I'm afraid it's not that easy. Yesterday, for example, the latest inflation rates for Germany were published. Basic goods cost, on average, 6.4 per cent more in June 2023 than in June 2022.
P: What does that have to do with my topic?
E: People believe that the inflation rate is significantly higher. According to a study, the inflation perceived by consumers in Germany is almost three times as high as the inflation rate actually determined. They think it is 18 per cent.
P: Where does the discrepancy between reality and one's perception come from?
E: People tend to focus on particularly significant cases of price increases. Conversely, stable or falling prices tend not to be noticed. This creates a distorted picture and a strong discrepancy between perceived and actual inflation.
P: Such attentiveness helps to recognize problems and dangers better, but it also puts you in a bad mood, right?
E: Think so. Being in a bad mood is just part of being human.
< silence >
P: We should do something about it. We should talk more about good news.
E: But we do that often.
P: Really? I only remember negative conversations.
E: You're only human.
P: Looks like. Have a happy day, Economist.
E: You too, Photographer.
Future Economist and Contemporary Photographer sometimes go their own ways – the economist here, the photographer there.
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