Why Positive Media Matters in a World of Extraction
We spend a lot of time talking about corrupt media. The psyops. The extraction. The gatekeeping. The algorithms designed to keep you angry, afraid, and divided.
But there is another side of media. One that is not designed to extract. One that uplifts. That inspires. That builds resilience. That shows a better world is possible.
This post explores positive media. What it is. Why it matters. How to find it. How to build your own algorithm for it. And how to use it to strengthen your systemic awareness without drowning in cynicism.
What Is Positive Media?
Positive media is not propaganda. It is not fluff. It is not the denial of problems.
Positive media acknowledges challenges. It shows suffering. It shows injustice. It shows the brokenness of the system. But it also shows responses. Resilience. Resistance. Reconstruction.
Positive media is built on the psychology of elevation – the feeling we get when we witness acts of moral beauty, generosity, or courage . Research has shown that elevation can increase our sense of connection to others, enhance our motivation to help, and even make us more compassionate toward strangers.
Key research findings:
Stories of kindness, love, and human connectedness can elicit genuine feelings of elevation and inspiration.
People exposed to meaningful films are more likely to feel connected to others and motivated to be compassionate.
Witnessing extraordinary generosity strengthens the belief that goodness exists in the world.
Elevation has a stronger and more stable relationship with helping behavior than other positive emotions alone.
Positive media is not about ignoring the dark. It is about showing that the light exists.
Examples of Positive Media
Superhero Stories with Depth
Superhero movies can be more than spectacle. Research has found that superhero narratives can evoke elevation, especially when they focus on themes of sacrifice, helping others, and altruism . Characters who face impossible odds and still choose to help others inspire us.
Family Animation with Social Messages
Some animations are built for the family but carry deep social messages. Stories about characters fighting for justice, protecting their communities, or overcoming discrimination. These are not just entertainment. They are lessons in resilience and activism wrapped in engaging narratives.
Indigenous-Led Storytelling
In Canada, the Indigenous Screen Office has been funding authentic Indigenous stories for years. Projects like Bones of Crows, Night Raiders, and Slash/Back are not just entertainment. They are acts of narrative sovereignty – telling stories on Indigenous terms, challenging stereotypes, and building cultural pride. These stories show resilience, resistance, and the fight for justice.
Canadian Media Statement of Values
In 2025, over 100 Canadian media organizations signed a shared Statement of Values. It commits them to 11 principles: Representation, Reflection, Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity, Access, Support, Collaboration, Sustainability, Accountability, and Showcasing Canadian Stories . Signatories include CBC, Bell Media, APTN, Telefilm Canada, and the Indigenous Screen Office . This is a rare moment of industry-wide commitment to building a more inclusive, constructive media landscape.
Positive Media Project and Media Citizen
Publicis Connected Media launched the Positive Media Project in 2020. In 2026, they expanded it into "Media Citizen" – a program focused on media education, supporting quality journalism, and developing responsible media planning approaches . The goal is to reconcile responsibility and performance, helping brands support media that invests in quality content and journalism.
Why Positive Media Matters for Systemic Awareness
Systemic awareness can be exhausting. You see the corruption. You see the extraction. You see the endless cycle of exploitation. It is easy to become cynical. It is easy to give up.
Positive media counters that. It shows that resistance works. That people have fought back and won. That alternatives exist. That the system is not invincible.
Positive media builds resilience. It reminds you why you fight. It shows you what you are fighting for.
Elevation experiences from media have been shown to increase connectedness to others and motivation to help. They can help you feel less alone in your awareness. They can help you find community.
How to Find Positive Media
Look for Indigenous-led content. Indigenous media is often built on principles of community, resilience, and justice. Organizations like the Indigenous Screen Office fund projects that challenge stereotypes and tell authentic stories. Seek out films, series, and digital content created by Indigenous storytellers.
Support organizations with stated values. The Canadian media organizations that signed the Statement of Values are committing to principles like equity, diversity, and accountability. Supporting their content is a vote for a better media system. Signatories include CBC, Bell Media, APTN, Telefilm Canada, and the Canada Media Fund.
Seek out "elevating" content. Research shows that stories about acts of kindness, moral courage, and generosity can produce lasting positive effects. Watch for narratives that focus on sacrifice, helping others, and altruism. These are more likely to build you up than tear you down.
Look for independent creators. Positive media often comes from independent creators who are not beholden to corporate gatekeepers. They can tell the stories that mainstream media avoids.
Use systemic awareness to filter. Not everything labeled "positive" is positive. Some positive media is just distraction. Use your systemic awareness. Is the content genuinely building resilience? Or is it just sugar-coating the status quo?
Media Labels: Transparency for Your Mind
We have labels on food. Ingredients. Calories. Allergens. We know what we are putting into our bodies.
We do not have labels on media. We consume content blindly. We do not know if it is designed to manipulate, distract, or exploit. We do not know if it is positive or corrupt. We do not know if it is propaganda or truth.
This should change. With increased media awareness, films, shows, and digital content should have labels. Clear labels. Honest labels. Labels that tell you what you are consuming before you consume it.
What a media label could include:
Content type. Positive. Negative. Political. Religious. Propaganda. Psyop. Entertainment. Educational.
Purpose. To inform. To persuade. To distract. To manipulate. To control. To uplift.
Funding source. Who paid for this? Corporations. Government. Independent creators. Elites.
Bias. What perspective is being promoted? Who benefits from this message?
Manipulation techniques. Does it use fear, outrage, or division? Does it use elevation, inspiration, or connection?
Agenda. What is the underlying message? What are you being told to believe or feel?
Systemic awareness rating. Does this content increase your systemic awareness? Or does it reinforce the status quo?
Why labels matter:
Informed consumption. You would not eat food without knowing what is in it. You should not consume media without knowing what is in it.
Resistance to manipulation. When you know a movie is designed to distract, you can watch it without being controlled by it.
Better choices. You can choose positive media over corrupt media. You can choose educational media over propaganda.
Systemic transparency. Labels expose who benefits from the content. They reveal the hidden agendas.
How labels could work:
Nutrition facts for media. A simple label on streaming platforms, social media, and video sites.
Color-coded system. Green for positive, red for corrupt, yellow for neutral, purple for political, blue for religious.
Standardized language. Clear, simple, accessible. No jargon. No fluff.
User reporting. If a label is misleading, users can flag it. The system can correct itself.
The Next Step
Media labels are the next step in media awareness. Just as we demand transparency in our food, we should demand transparency in our media.
Know what you are consuming. Know who benefits. Know what it is doing to your mind.
Labels would not fix the media system. But they would give you the information to choose wisely. And informed choices are the foundation of resistance.
How to Build a Positive Media Algorithm
The algorithms are designed to keep you angry and afraid. But you can hack them.
Train the algorithm with intention.
Watch elevating content to completion. The algorithm learns what you watch.
Like, comment, and share positive media. Engagement signals importance.
Skip or downvote content that makes you angry or afraid. Tell the algorithm you are not interested.
Use the "not interested" button on platforms that offer it.
Curate your feed deliberately.
Follow creators and organizations that produce positive media.
Unfollow accounts that produce outrage content. Even if you agree with them. Your feed is your environment. Design it.
Use browser extensions and tools.
Some tools exist to hide recommended content or filter your feed.
Consider ad blockers. Ads are designed to manipulate. Removing them cleans your environment.
Switch platforms.
Some platforms are more positive than others. TikTok has positive media. YouTube has positive media. They are hidden, but they exist.
Consider platforms that do not rely on outrage for engagement.
Build your own library.
Save positive media. Re-watch it when you need a boost.
Share it with others. Build a network of people who are also seeking positive content.
The Conclusion
Positive media is not fluff. It is resistance. It is resilience. It is the antidote to the endless extraction of the attention economy.
Research shows that stories of kindness, sacrifice, and moral courage can make us more compassionate, more connected, and more motivated to help others . They can build resilience and sustain systemic awareness without succumbing to cynicism.
Find it. Build it. Share it.
The algorithm wants you angry. You can train it to want you strong.
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