Trending Topics

Bit of a random thought, this one. But bear with me.

When I read the Guardian online, my eye always drifts to the trending stories panel to the right of the actual article. It’s the sort of distraction I could solve with a hack to AdBlock Plus, but I don’t mind because it’s a miniature snapshot of The World Brain: what people (or at least liberals and those too cheap to subscribe to a newspaper that fits their political position) are concerned about at the moment.

If there’s a truly devastating world event that day, news of it will be at the top. But generally speaking, the big news of the day will be second or third from the top. The top spot (and at least one other spot in third, fourth or fifth place) will be something more banal.

Today’s top spot — two places above today’s main story — is about the weather: a possible snow storm. Not even the actual weather, but some possible weather.

Other frequent examples are items from Pamela Stevenson’s sex column with headlines like “my wife demands a threesome but I’d rather die,” food-related items (cooking hacks, recipes, restaurant reviews), listicles concerning personal wellbeing or sleep, and tidbits about popular TV things like Traitors.

I’m not calling anyone trivial or saying that The World Brain has brain rot. It’s interesting, I think, that short term needs float to the top of the agenda. It’s because short term needs, by definition, are more urgent.

Urgent needs always need addressing first.

If you’re thirsty, you’ll most likely solve that problem before dealing with anything connected to a mid-term goal like going for a run. If “go for run” needs to be ticked off your to-do list, you’ll be more likely to do that than do anything towards a long-term goal like becoming a person who writes novels or goes for walks at night to contemplate the universe.

This is reflected collectively in the trending panel.

So don’t be ashamed if you don’t tend to your longer-term, personal improvement goals. Do what you can, but catering to the short-term first (while the house is proverbially — or literally — on fire) is normal and wholly forgivable. Be sweet to yourself. Don’t berate yourself for not yet being a Great Philosopher when, in reality, a snow storm threatens your journey home.

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