: I've always been somewhat to quite troubled that the bulk of pep talks, motivational sayings and activities, especially group but definitely also individual language and activities related to self-help and positivity are deeply aggressive, even violent, and Othering and speak more to ego *against* [fill-in-the-blank] than anything else. Much of it seems very desperately insecure and sophomoric to me, which is in part why it's so popular, I reckon.
@thedisasterautist Eh, it's a quirk of human psychology: aggression, anger, hatred, and bloodlust are perhaps the very strongest universal motivators.
No doubt this is rooted in our long, long history (encompassing basically our entire evolutionary history) of fighting for survival, both against animals / the forces of nature & hostile humans: when your very survival depends on whether you win or lose the fight, you must have the utmost determination.
This natural aggression can be exploited.
@IrelandTorin: Alas.
And humans don't tend to feel too kindly towards those whose dander-riling doesn't match their own.
As the fella says, "Ask me how I know."