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Life can be hard, Pandas. We understand that. We all might need a pick-me-up once in a while. Something that can show us that people can be good and kind. We’re big proponents of positive content here at Bored Panda, and today, we have the perfect antidote to a stressful day.

That’s why we’re featuring the “wait a second this is wholesome content” Facebook group. A community of like-minded people who like sharing “the most wholesome things out there.” Their mission is as simple as that – to keep the world more wholesome. So scroll down and get some dopamine from our selection of pics from this group!

We reached out to the creator of this group, Illie Nilbog Curtis. She kindly agreed to tell Bored Panda how the group was created, what it's like moderating such a big community, and what challenges the admins run into most often. Read our chat with her below!

"Originally, I created the tag group back in 2017 or 2018," its creator, Illie Nilbog Curtis, tells Bored Panda. "When tag groups were all over Facebook and everyone was using them as their kind of 'meme' in a sense. I don't remember the original content I had made it for, but it originally started as just a tag group."

Illie says that moderating the "wait a second this is wholesome content" group of 169k members can be difficult, but, luckily, she has help. "I have a team of mods that I can't even tell you how much I adore each and every one of them, as a whole and individually. They have become some of my closest friends, whether they live in another state here in the U.S. or overseas. I would be lost without them."

"The biggest challenge we run into, though, is keeping an eye on comment sections, making sure everyone is actually keeping it wholesome. And duplicate posts as we're going through post requests."

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Illie says that communities like these help keep the Internet more positive. "I think it's important because even though this initially started as a joke, as a meme even, since it was meant to be a tag group, it turned into a corner of the internet where we didn't allow any of the day-to-day negativity in."

"It turned into a safe haven for only positive content, allowing discourse and educating but no bullying, trolling, or put-downs, and making sure that everyone has a chance to be heard and validated."

Let's face it – most of us spend too much time online. Sometimes, we might seek emotional support in the form of positive content. In fact, a survey by the Richmond Foundation asked people ages 13 and 25 if they are likely to turn to social media to deal with their emotions. 24.3% of the respondents said they were more than likely to do that, and 9.2% said it would be very likely.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, The World Health Organization urged people to actively seek wholesome content. "Find opportunities to amplify positive and hopeful stories," they wrote in 2020. Granted, the pandemic was an especially difficult time emotionally for many people. But that doesn't mean we don't crave positivity online even now.

In 2022, Dr. Michèle Lamont, a sociology professor at Harvard, conducted a study where she interviewed 80 undergraduate students. She found that they greatly valued optimism and being active towards social change. Whereas the older generations expect hardships, the younger gen focuses on positivity to move on from them.

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David Paterson
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7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Chinese. That's interesting. A variant of the old Zoroastrian gold (riches), frankincense (saintliness) and myrrh (health). The child to pick one of them.

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As much as we'd like to see only positive things online, we actually might be contributing to negativity online, even if unconsciously. Karolina Lempert, Ph.D., writes for Psychology Today about the negativity bias of bad news and headlines. According to her, studies have proven that people pay more attention to negative news than to good news.

The psychology behind this is that people tend to dislike losses more than they like gains. For example, if an egg falls on the ground and breaks, we're more likely to focus on that than the fact that there are still nine more eggs we were lucky enough to get at the store. Bad things, in general, elicit a stronger emotional reaction from us. Bad impressions and stereotypes, for one, form quicker than positive ones.

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Back to article headlines – research by Claire Robertson and colleagues revealed that people click on headlines with negative words such as 'hate' and 'worst' more than with words like 'love' and 'best.' Previous research also showed that people share content more if it makes them angry. 

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That raises a question: "Why share something if it makes you feel bad?" Negativity in the comments section also works in a similar way. That's why some people might dump their frustrations on others.

Comments sections are often anonymous, so people rarely feel the consequences of their words in real life. There's also the online disinhibition effect: some things that are acceptable online would hardly be acceptable in real life – there are rarely any checks and balances.

So, how can we avoid falling into this pit of negative news and comments? Arlin Cuncic, MA, recommends starting with the platforms we choose. She suggests choosing outlets that focus on positive news and don't have the anonymity element in the comments.

Cuncic also says that educating yourself outside of the comments section can be helpful. "Read trusted sources of information and form your own opinion rather than relying on what you learn from the comment sections of news sites or social media pages," she writes.

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Amanda Rose
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I adore puffins. I first heard about/fell in love with them while my brother was stationed in Iceland with the US Air Force. He had given me a stuffed puffin toy and I just had to read everything I could about them.

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Distancing yourself from the negativity can also help. There's nothing wrong with blocking, unfriending, or unfollowing the pages and people that cause you to have negative reactions. Instead, Cuncic encourages people to contribute to the positivity online. Share wholesome stories with others and leave positive comments – be that little part of change.

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My 83-year-old nan has completed the LEGO Disney Castle. She is very proud for doing most of it on her own!

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Sometimes, we need to tell our lizard brain not to engage in activities that give us instant gratification. That includes looking at the comments section. If you know yourself to be one to fall into the rabbit hole of negative comments under a news article, just don't do it. "You might decide that you will only spend five minutes reading comments on social media, and avoid comments on news outlets websites altogether," Cuncic suggests.

Lastly, taking a break from all devices is always an option, too. Cuncic recommends not using your smartphone at least 45 minutes before bed. Similarly, designate short periods of time during the day when you're device-free. "Go and do something like go for a walk in nature, do some meditation, write in a journal, or call a friend," she adds.

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ZGutr
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7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this reminds me of Rob Kenny, a man who created the youtube channel “Dad, How Do I?” to help kids who grow Up fatherless like he did (pitty there was no youtube when I had questions about shaving) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrLt2hopxXhUHJ0h0RPtlwnIB8Kq1rM3g

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ZGutr
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope the owner realizes just how important and valuable this offer is!! Not just for autism, more conditions cause you having a hard time with external impulses. I can remember my kids once running to the counter before bowling, asking them to turn down the music because dad can't cope with it. They turned it off completely (okay, not many guests, but still). The place is closed now, but seeing it still gives me the warmest feelings.

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TheRealDrDukes Report

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Yayheterogeneity
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh come on people. Annabel Wood was just trying to be funny. Not very successfully I agree, but can we please upvote her again? So she gets over -9. Thank you!

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Note: this post originally had 109 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.