Why the world feels angrier lately — and what that means for how we talk to each other

No. It’s not just you. It IS louder now.

Something’s shifted. Conversations feel sharper. Patience is thinner. Comments get personal faster. Even neutral words seem to land harder than they used to. I don’t like it, and neither should you.

You’re not imagining it. The world does feel angrier at the moment. And it’s showing up everywhere – from political arguments to family chats to someone absolutely losing it in the comment section of a muffin recipe. Jesus, is it really that important?

What’s going on? Well.

Here is my take on this. Prolonged uncertainty (global, economic, political, personal, faith etc) primes the brain for threats. When you’re already tense, even a mild disagreement can feel like an attack. And in a digital world – where tone is missing and nuance gets flattened – everything suddenly feels more loaded.

It’s not that people suddenly became awful. It’s that people are overwhelmed, under-resourced, and scared. And anger is a much easier emotion to access than fear or sadness.

Online platforms reward speed, certainty, outrage. We know this by now. Not curiosity. Not reflection. When you say, “I don’t know”, the algorithm doesn’t care. But say “You’re wrong, and you are being an idi*t,” and it lights up.

So we mirror that behaviour. We learn to speak in extremes. We forget what it feels like to say: “I see it differently than you do. But I still respect you.”

What does this mean for you?

It means the people around you, your readers, your coworkers, your family, the stranger in traffic, are not at their best right now. And that includes you, sometimes. So here’s the big ask I have for you:

Don’t meet anger with more anger.
Don’t meet snark with a sharper punchline.
Don’t confuse volume for truth.

The angrier the world gets, the more valuable calm becomes.

Quick tip:

Before you reply, pause. Not for their sake – but for your own. That moment of stillness? It’s where your better self lives.

If you want to know more about how to deal with different types of people, check out my online course Surrounded by Idiots where I teach exactly this. You find it here.

A colourful moment:

After a recent talk, a man told me: “I used to be the guy who debated everyone online. I had a smart reply for everything.”

I asked, “So what changed?”
He said: “I realized I wasn’t trying to understand anyone. I was just trying to win. And it turns out you can win arguments and still lose connection.”
I nodded. That one stays with you.

The world is loud. Let your voice be strong, but not sharp.

Certain, but not closed.

Firm, but not cruel.

Because in times like these, the most disarming sentence in the world might just be:
“I hear you. Let’s talk.”

See you next Wednesday.
//Thomas