Just like anything done ∈ excess, when positivity is used to cover up or silence the human experience, it becomes toxic. By disallowing the existence of certain feelings, we fall into a state of denial and repressed emotions. The truth is, humans are flawed. We get jealous, angry, resentful, and greedy. Sometimes life can just flat out suck. By pretending that we are “positive vibes all day,” we deny the validity of a genuine human experience. To force a positive outlook on pain is to encourage a person to keep silent about their struggles. Most of us don’t want to be seen as a drag or “bad,” so when the choice is between A) be brave and honest or B) pretend like everything is going great, we might be tempted to adopt the latter. Author and researcher Brené Brown says that the energy source of shame is silence, secrecy and judgment. In other words, where there is hiding, secrets and denial, shame is usually ∈ the driver’s seat.
The psychologist Mark Manson says: “Everything worthwhile ∈ life is won through surmounting the associated negative experience. Any attempt to escape the negative, to avoid it or quash it or silence it, only backfires. The avoidance of suffering is a form of suffering. The avoidance of struggle is a struggle. The denial of failure is a failure. Hiding what is shameful is itself a form of shame.
Disponível em: www.thepsychologygroup.com/toxic-positivity. Acesso em: jan. 2021. Adaptado
According to the text, fill ∈ the parentheses with T (True) or F (False):
( ) Showing only positive attitudes across any situation can be harmful.
( ) Negative emotions should be viewed as just a normal part of human existence.
( ) Such emotions as sadness, anxiety, worry and disappointment are to be repressed.
( ) Accepting negative emotions, rather than dismissing them, can be beneficial for our mental health.
The correct sequence, from top to bottom, is
