Sunday Best is a brand new feature here at TIG that we plan on making a recurring one. Each Sunday, we will bring you a cross-section of interesting articles, links, ideas, music, culture, and anything else we think might be interesting or entertaining⏤the perfect supplement to your Sunday and one we hope you will add to your routine.
This week, I was introduced to an interesting term: “toxic positivity”, which is basically the wholesale rejection of negative emotions even when they are warranted, in favour of positivity.
I wasn’t familiar with the the term “ toxic positivity” but I have been generally aware of the unabashed bias to always outwardly promote a positive attitude particularly online. Negativity is generally seen as defeatist whereas positivity is highly desirable. Countless aphorisms, good vibes only hashtags, lucky girl syndrome and book after book after book on eliminating and defeating negativity make it clear negativity is an undesirable state and quality. But blindly projecting and chasing positivity while shunning negative emotions can be a recipe for unpleasant and unexpected life consequences.
I think for the most part we all like to be around positive people and have a positive mental attitude, the issue is that life is full of problems like a never ending game of whakamol. Positive thinking can be a useful tool for reaching your goals and dealing with those problems but negative emotions can act as an important counterpoint and be very useful in analysing a problem in a pragmatic way and coming to a useful and realistic solution.
When we are constantly sold the idea of being relentlessly positive, of having a positive outlook; of wanting to be around positive people; it is easy to see why we can be uncomfortable with negativity and negative emotions, and might see them as weaknesses.
I came across an enlightening article from the PRZEKRÓJ Foundation called The Art of Negativity, that explains the importance of recognising negative emotions, how to live with them⏤and ultimately⏤use them as tools to live a better and more fulfilling life.
So keep a positive outlook, but don’t be afraid to listen to negative emotions from time to time.
More reading
Some things I found:
I like the idea of exploring London by jogging. When I lived in the city I would jump on the subway somewhere and just jog home:
A favourite cooking program: Champ’s Japanese Kitchen⏤a healthy take on simple Japanese recipes:
Listening:
Eddie Chacon, Pleasure, Joy and Happiness
Perhaps not underrated, but possibly underexposed. Eddie Chacon made a name for himself as part of the soul duo Charles & Eddie with the early 90’s worldwide hit “Would I Lie To You?”. The duo, which included Charles Pettigrew, were never able to follow up their hit with any other major successes, and disbanded in the mid 90’s. Sadly, Charles died of cancer in 2001, aged 37. Eddie went on to pursue a career in photography and gave up music⏤at least as a commercial pursuit.
Pleasure, Joy and Happiness marks a triumphant return to music after 2 decades away, and is a real comeback story. The album was produced and co-written by the brilliant John Carroll Kirby, who has also worked with Blood Orange, Frank Ocean, Solange and Harry Styles.
The album is a beautiful collection woozy ethereal laidback melancholic ballads.
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Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are.