Social media erupts after convicted killer backed by progressive wins election
A Maine woman who previously served time as a convicted killer was elected to serve on a local city council on Tuesday night, causing a stir on social media in the process.
Angela Walker was elected to the Bangor city council, New York Post reported, more than 20 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of a man named Derek Rogers in 2002.
The manslaughter conviction stemmed from a fight where Walker was allegedly called a racial slur derogatory toward Native Americans and the man who said it, a Canadian tourist named Derek Rogers, was later found beaten to death and suffocated with sand, according to news reports.
Walker ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter, along with her brother, and perjury, earning a sentence of 10 years in prison.
WHAT JAY JONES’ VICTORY MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS AND THE ‘NEW ERA OF VIOLENT RHETORIC,’ ACCORDING TO EXPERTS
Although Walker was sponsored by a progressive group, she is not affiliated with a political party and will serve a three-year term along with three others who were elected to the council.
News of Walker’s election quickly spread on social media with popular conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok sharing it with her 4.5 million followers.
“Meet Angela Walker,” LibsofTikTok posted on X. “She was just elected to Bangor, Maine City Council. She was previously convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years for kiIIing a tourist, allegedly because he called her a ‘racist’ name. He was found severely beaten and suffocated with sand stuffed down his throat.”
HOUSE GOP PROBE TARGETS SOROS-LINKED GROUPS OVER ALLEGED ANTIFA FUNDING TIES
“Um, wut?” GOP Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X.
“Unfortunately, Jay Jones is not the floor,” Dhillon Law Group Associate Jesse Franklin-Murdock posted on X. “There is a genuine bloodlust on the left, and voters are all too happy to let it out [in] the ballot box.”
“New progressive paradigm: The more mentally ill, the more popular,” Grabien founder Tom Elliott posted on X.
“WTH is going on? Democrats simply don’t care what their politicians do,” conservative influencer Paul A. Syzpula posted on X.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Walker told the Bangor Daily News, “I want people to see that it’s possible that we can change.”
“That’s my past. I don’t live there anymore and I’m a different person,” Walker added about her conviction.
Fox News Digital reached out to Walker for comment.
Democrats have been facing heavy criticism this week for electing Jay Jones as Virginia’s next attorney general even after it was revealed he fantasized in 2022 text messages about shooting former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert in the head while also suggesting that harm should come to that Republican’s young “fascist” children.
Students say ‘extremist’ professors force them to hide identities at elite colleges
EXCLUSIVE: A number of students revealed the “extremist” viewpoints held by some university professors that “play a role” in fostering an antisemitic environment on campus, condoning anti-Israel protests and maintaining a bias message that is “not exactly something that should be promoted” at their respective schools.
Jewish students from NYU, Columbia, Barnard College and Baruch College sat down with Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview and exposed the “disturbing things” that have been said by professors at some of the top schools in New York City and in the U.S.
“I’ve had many peers share very disturbing things that professors have said in class, whether it’s in courses specifically related to Middle Eastern politics or in classes that should be completely absolved of anything happening in the Middle East,” TJ Katz of Columbia explained.
“We’ve had professors yell at students, not support students,” Mera Skoblo of NYU told Fox.
PROTESTERS ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY HAMAS ATTACK ON ISRAEL WITH ‘COLUMBIA INTIFADA’ NEWSPAPER ON OCT. 7 ANNIVERSARY
“Just the presence of these professors on campus, you know, a lot of them on their offices have signs saying things like, hands off our students, and they have free Palestine signs on their doorways,” Eliana Birman of Barnard explained.
“I had professors that were antisemitic,” Aidan Herlinger of Baruch told Fox. “I know students that have had professors that are antisemitic, we are put in positions where we can’t do anything about it, because it could cost us our grade.”
“We need to extricate extremists from the classroom, do departmental audits,” Shoshana Aufzien of Barnard added.
PROMINENT UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR SAYS ANTI-ISRAEL CAMPUS PROTESTS ‘WERE ENCOURAGED FROM IRAN’
Columbia University has been one of the most notorious campuses that has faced anti-Israel riots and demonstrations. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, hundreds of students and non-students have been arrested as a result of riots.
NYU faced similar, though less intense, protests on its NYC campus, including a Dec. 12, 2024, demonstration outside the university’s library where protesters called for an “intifada revolution” saying that “Tel Aviv is stolen land.”
Skoblo outlined her fears as a Jewish student on campus, saying that “a lot of us are scared.”
ANTISEMITIC ‘VENOM’ INFECTING CAMPUSES GETS WORSE AS UNIVERSITIES PLAY ‘ROPE-A-DOPE’ WITH TRUMP ADMIN: EXPERT
“The past two years on college campuses across New York City have been difficult for Jewish students,” Skoblo told Fox. “Some of us hide our identities. We’ve been screamed at. We’ve been blocked out of our own library during finals week.”
“How are we supposed to study when we hear chanting that shouts towards our destruction, makes us feel unsafe and unheard,” Skoblo added.
When asked if faculty influenced or pressured students to adopt a specific stance in the Middle Eastern conflict, Aiden Herlinger from Baruch College said, “I think the professors definitely play a role.”
FAR-LEFT ANTI-ISRAEL GROUPS WHITEWASH, IGNORE HAMAS MASSACRE ON OCT 7 AS THEY MARK TWO YEARS SINCE ATTACK
While the students explained that antisemitism has existed on college campuses for some time, students noted that the recent rise in tensions and anti-Israel rhetoric that came after Oct. 7, 2023, could be attributable to professors indoctrinating or influencing students to participate in demonstrations, some of which turned violent and led to expulsions, suspensions and arrests.
As for the consequences these professors may face for being accused by their own students of indoctrinating, Herlinger said there will likely be none.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“[Professors are] not going to face any consequences, especially in a school like Baruch that’s a public school, and it’s funded by the New York State government, and New York City government,” Herlinger added.
“These are just professors that are not going to face consequences.“
Fox News Digital reached out to the schools for comment.
College Football Playoff chair allegedly confronted player over ‘yellow shirt’
Baylor Athletics Director and College Football Playoff chair Mack Rhoades has been at the center of a school investigation into an alleged verbal and physical altercation with a football player and assistant coach.
OutKick spoke to numerous sources regarding this incident, and are protecting their identities because of fear of future retribution regarding this matter.
On September 20th, as Baylor was preparing to play Arizona State in a Big 12 conference game, tight end Michael Trigg was preparing to take the field for the opening series against the Sun Devils. As part of the uniform that day, Trigg was wearing a long-sleeved yellow shirt that was being used to cover a brace he was wearing on his shoulder.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Sources tell OutKick that athletic director Mack Rhoades went up to Trigg as the ball was being kicked off to start the game, and while putting his hands on the player asked him ‘What the f— are you wearing that yellow shirt for?’. Along the sidelines before the game, multiple assistants were around when this incident occurred, as it occurred in a brief span of time.
The timing of this incident stood out the most, given that the offense was set to take the field for the opening drive against Arizona State. This incident festered throughout the game, as assistant coaches were trying to calm Michael Trigg down regarding the incident that had occurred just as Arizona State was kicking the ball off to Baylor.
Trigg would go on to catch two touchdowns, with a total of 71 yards on the day, with Baylor losing on a last-second field goal by Arizona State.
It should also be noted that former Baylor assistant coach Mason Miller, who left the team due to what Dave Aranda called a ‘personal matter’, is not the coach that was confronted by AD Mack Rhoades.
It Got Worse: Alleged Incident Following The Baylor Loss To Arizona State
Immediately following the game, as the players were making their way around the field to thank fans, along with convening for the school song, Mack Rhoades was allegedly standing behind Trigg and other coaches. This is when the situation took another turn, with an assistant coach being involved.
Multiple witnesses tell OutKick that while Trigg went to be with his family, an assistant coach was visiting with his family, when AD Mack Rhoades allegedly came up from behind and grabbed the assistant’s arm and, subsequently, his shoulder and neck area. According to sources, Rhoades then allegedly proceeded to verbally accost the assistant coach, which was witnessed by multiple Baylor staff members within the athletic department, along with family members.
OutKick has obtained HR complaints filed in response to the incident, which are filed anonymously to protect their identities that did shed light on the incident in question regarding the student athlete.
CARDINALS COACH JONATHAN GANNON UNDER NFLPA INVESTIGATION AFTER APPEARING TO STRIKE PLAYER: REPORT
According to multiple sources, an investigation into the incident was launched, where football staff members and athletic department staffers present during both instances were questioned regarding the incident.
It was made known during the investigation that there was video evidence of the alleged incident in question.
Since Baylor is a private college, OutKick has not been able to obtain this video that would come from cameras around McLane stadium.
Investigation Into Alleged Incidents By Mack Rhoades
University officials did launch an investigation into this matter, with the alleged actions of Mack Rhoades being the focal point. There were multiple witnesses to the second incident in question, as staff members of the AD recognized that this was playing out in a public setting, and the optics of this would not be good.
At first, Trigg and the assistant coach were asked to apologize to Rhoades for the incident in question, until athletic department members realized that it should’ve been the other way around, with Rhoades apologizing to the player and assistant coach.
There were upwards of eight people who witnessed the alleged incident involving the Athletic Director and the assistant coach, along with television cameras from FOX Sports that could have picked up on the alleged incident that occurred right as the game was being started.
We reached out to Baylor this morning, knowing there was an investigation regarding the incidents. The Baylor response indicated it was completed, and Rhoades was found to have done what was alleged:
“More than a month ago, Baylor University received reports of an incident involving Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades,” the statement to OutKick read. “These reports were thoroughly reviewed and investigated in accordance with University policies, appropriate actions were taken, and the matter is now closed. Mr. Rhoades has expressed regret over his emotions and recognizes his conduct at that moment was not reflective of our Christian mission and values.”
“Mr. Rhoades is an important part of our Baylor Family, and we look forward to his continued leadership of our Athletics Department. We remain committed to ensuring a respectful and accountable environment for all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”
Baylor has not denied our reporting on this story and the incidents that occurred on September 20th. In an email to Baylor, Outkick laid out all the details of the incident in question for them to respond to.
In their statement, they do not deny any of the allegations levied against Mack Rhoades in the incident OutKick has reported. As for what the punishment was for Rhoades, the school would not comment any further regarding the incident.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
OutKick will continue to follow this story, especially considering the physical contact of the AD towards a student and Assistant Coach on the Baylor football team.
Our reporting does not indicate that this matter is closed on all sides. OutKick has also reached out to the College Football Playoff, along with the NCAA regarding this matter.
Smoking banned for entire generation under sweeping new national law
Anyone living in the Maldives born after Jan. 1, 2007, may be affected by the first-ever generational smoking ban.
On Nov. 1, a new law — proposed by the country’s President Mohamed Muizzu earlier this year — took effect in the country, banning an entire generation from smoking, purchasing or using tobacco.
In a press release, the Ministry of Health called it a “historic milestone in the nation’s efforts to protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation.”
DEADLY DRUG MIX DRIVES STAGGERING RISE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONG SENIORS
The ban applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify the age of users prior to any sale.
The Maldives also maintains a complete ban on the import, sale, distribution, possession and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.
“The Generational Ban on Tobacco reflects the Government’s strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco,” the Ministry added in the statement.
The World Health Organization has called tobacco use an “epidemic” and “one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The WHO’s data shows that tobacco use is responsible for over seven million deaths annually, as well as disability and long-term suffering from tobacco-related diseases.
“All forms of tobacco use are harmful, and there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco,” the agency states.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The organization added that cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use worldwide.
The Maldives is the first country to see a generational smoking ban come to fruition, although New Zealand proposed a ban that would have outlawed tobacco sales to those born after Jan. 1, 2009, starting in 2024.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Before the ban could take effect, however, it was struck down in 2023.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Britain is currently considering a similar law, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which, if passed, would prohibit anyone born after Jan. 1, 2009, from buying tobacco products or vapes.
Restaurant chain announces major overhaul, vowing to return to its iconic ’80s roots
Hooters is making a comeback, and its new owners are updating its menu and changing the image that once defined the restaurant chain.
Original Hooters LLC, the founders and original investors behind the very first Hooters restaurant, acquired Hooters of America during its bankruptcy restructuring earlier this year. The group now plans to return the chain “to its roots as a local beach-themed hangout.”
Hooters opened its first restaurant in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983. Since then, it has become known for its scantily clad waitresses in distinctive orange-and-white uniforms. As part of this new era, Original Hooters said the company will implement restaurant upgrades, equipment enhancements and create a streamlined menu with “higher quality ingredients,” including transitioning from frozen to fresh wings.
HOOTERS SHUTTERS DOZENS OF ‘UNDERPERFORMING’ RESTAURANTS, OPTIMISTIC FOR FUTURE: REPORTS
All server uniforms will return to the brand’s original “beachy vibe and heritage,” with some locations incorporating palm tree–inspired décor to highlight that theme.
The iconic orange shorts, which have gradually become shorter over the years, will revert to their classic 1980s athletic style. In line with this shift, the company has also confirmed it will discontinue its weekly bikini nights.
“We’re not just acquiring restaurants – we’re taking back the Hooters name to show the world who we really are,” Hooters Inc. CEO Neil Kiefer said, adding that the company’s vision is “ensuring that Hooters remains a place where everyone feels welcome.”
The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March, allowing it to restructure its debt while continuing to operate. The company, like many others in the sector, faced mounting debt, liquidity problems and declining traffic, forcing it to seek relief in bankruptcy court. At the time, Hooters of America CEO Sal Melilli promised that Hooters restaurants “are here to stay.”
HOOTERS FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY AS RESTAURANTS CONTINUE OPERATING BUSINESS AS USUAL: ‘HERE TO STAY’
During its restructuring, Original Hooters, alongside a group of experienced current franchise owners, agreed to buy and run some of the restaurants that Hooters currently owns.
Original Hooters, along with their partners from Hoot Owl Restaurants LLC, now operates 140 of the 198 domestic locations across the U.S., all of which will move away from sexual branding.
In March, when the company announced its restructuring agreement, Melilli said the “renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay.” The chief executive also told “Fox & Friends” in April that he couldn’t be more excited about this new era.
RED LOBSTER IS BACK; CEO PLOTS FUTURE FOR SEAFOOD CHAIN
“The original owners are taking back the concept, returning it to its roots, and restoring the success it’s enjoyed for 42 years,” he said.
Aside from its operational changes, the company is planning to prioritize charity work and community events, efforts that have been a core part of Hooters’ identity since its founding in 1983.
“We do programs like Wings for Children, for education. We sponsor first responders. We do Veterans’ days, breast cancer programs with the V Foundation, the Moffitt Cancer [Center], Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital,” Melilli said.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
“We’ve always done those things. Now, it’s an opportunity to return to that. While every owner has brought its own flavor to this, we’re about to return to our roots with our original group out of Clearwater and bring it back to what the brand’s all about.”
Jordan Lee, a brand strategist and media relations specialist at The PR Group, said the company’s decision to revamp the brand image is a smart and timely move.
“Gen Z and Gen Alpha are showing a clear decline in sexual prurience, and as the “dirty old man” demographic ages out, restaurant chains are going to have to compete on the strength of their food and the quality of the overall experience,” Lee said, adding that “younger consumers care about authenticity, inclusivity, and the dining experience itself. Focusing on food, service, and atmosphere will do far more for the brand than a reliance on outdated sexual gimmicks.”
65-year-old falls to his death at popular Grand Canyon West viewpoint
A 65-year-old man died this week in the Grand Canyon after slipping over the edge and falling more than 100 feet, a sheriff’s office said.
The incident happened in the Guano Point area of Grand Canyon West, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
“A 65-year-old male had slipped and fell over the edge into the canyon and was deceased,” the sheriff’s office’s search and rescue team said, describing how they were called to “assist the Hualapai Nation in a technical recovery” around 2 p.m. Thursday.
“Search and Rescue responded and located him about 130 feet down on a scree pile. Technical rope technicians set up a lowering and raising system using ropes to recover him and convey the body to the Mohave County Medical Examiners Office,” it added.
COLORADO MAN DIES AFTER CAR DRIVES OVER RIM OF GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
The identity of the man has not been publicly released.
The sheriff’s office’s search and rescue team released images showing first responders lowering a basket into the canyon for the recovery of the victim.
“Also helping on this recovery were Hualapai Tribal Police Department, Hualapai Nation Fire, Grand Canyon West Security — thank you for your assistance,” it added. “Our condolences are with his family. Please respect their privacy during this time.”
DAD FINDS 13-YEAR-OLD SON DEAD AFTER 200-FOOT FALL FROM BLUFF INSIDE POPULAR NATIONAL PARK SITE
The death happened after a Colorado man died in September when his car went over the edge of the rim at Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park and plunged hundreds of feet.
Park rangers learned that the car with a single occupant had plunged over the rim near South Kaibab Trailhead, the National Park Service (NPS) said. Rangers immediately responded and recovered his body 300 feet below the rim.
NPS identified the man as Steven “Drew” Bradley, 27, of Federal Heights, Colorado.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
A helicopter airlifted Bradley’s body to the rim before it was transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Arizona.
Feds bust illegal alien’s alleged ‘menu’ of trafficked women offered to clients
Three illegal immigrants in Louisiana allegedly ran a sex trafficking ring and offered a “menu” of women to potential clients as young as 18 using WhatsApp, federal prosecutors allege.
Officials said Zaira Lopez-Oliva, Kirsis Castellanos-Kirington and Jesus Lopez, known as “El Perro,” were arrested in October after running a sex trafficking ring in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
A source initially tipped off the FBI with screenshots from WhatsApp from El Perro, who sent pictures of scantily clad women who were available for sex acts, according to court documents. Prosecutors allege that the women were forced to have sex with men, who paid anywhere from $40 to $60.
Both Castellanos-Kirington and Lopez-Oliva allegedly helped Lopez with several aspects of the sex trafficking operation.
FOX EXCLUSIVE: NATIONWIDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING BUST TARGETS CHINESE ORGANIZED CRIME NETWORKS
Prosecutors said Lopez-Oliva helped Lopez transport victims to and from the New Orleans Airport. In one surveillance video screenshot shared by the Department of Justice, prosecutors said Lopez-Oliva was seen inside a pickup truck with Lopez near the New Orleans Airport.
Castellanos-Kirington and Lopez-Oliva both helped Lopez “maintain the operation” at the two locations in Baton Rouge when he was unable to, the documents state.
The complaint detailed that clients of the sex trafficking ring were anywhere from 18 to 60 years old.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVERS ENDANGER AMERICANS AS FOREIGN COMPANIES ‘EXPLOIT’ INDUSTRY, EXEC SAYS
When federal agents raided the house where the operation was based, one of the victims said she was in financial trouble and got Lopez’s contact information from a friend, prosecutors said. She was allegedly informed when she arrived in Louisiana that she’d be performing sex acts for male clients. Two of the victims interviewed were also illegal immigrants.
The female victim allegedly told prosecutors that she wouldn’t be paid at all on Mondays and Tuesdays, and would only get to keep $20 if a client paid $40, with the rest going to Lopez.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
One of the victims also told investigators that she “was not allowed to leave or tell anyone what she was doing,” and if she told anyone, Lopez would “kill her.”
All three suspects are charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion as well as aiding and abetting.
Experimental serum shows promise in reversing baldness within 20 days
A cure for baldness could be on the horizon.
Researchers from Taiwan University say they have discovered a serum that could potentially regrow hair in just 20 days.
The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, showed that fat cells under the skin can restart hair growth.
NEW STEM CELL THERAPY SHOWS ‘PROMISING’ RESULTS FOR TREATING HAIR LOSS IN PRECLINICAL TRIALS
The researchers used mouse skin samples to monitor changes to the fat tissue under the skin, as well as to the hair follicles and the cells that help hair grow, after they caused small injuries to trigger certain reactions, according to a press release.
After skin injury, fat cells began breaking down stored fat in a process called lipolysis. Fatty acids were then released into the skin, which acted as a signal for hair stem cells to grow.
When the scientists stopped the fat cells from breaking down fat, it prevented hair from growing.
Fatty acids were rubbed onto the mice’s skin to determine whether it would spark hair growth in these areas. The experiment was successful, triggering hair growth.
MEN GOING BALD TURN TO ‘NEW BOTOX’ FOR HAIR LOSS TREATMENT
The same pattern was recognized in multiple experiments, although the research is still early and has yet to be tested on humans, the researchers noted.
In one experiment, the scientists saw hair regrowth in mice within 20 days of applying the topical treatments once a day.
Study co-author Sung-Jan Lin, M.D., Ph.D., distinguished professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Taiwan University, shared that this line of research was sparked by the clinical observation that skin irritation sometimes causes hair to grow back thicker.
“You often see it after a plaster cast comes off — the skin underneath can become unexpectedly hairy,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview. “That phenomenon had been documented before, but no one knew why.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
In 2018, after irritating skin in experiments, the team found that the fat cells beneath it rapidly shrank before the hair started to regrow.
“It made us wonder if those fat cells were breaking down and releasing fatty acids — essentially burning fat — to fuel the hair’s return,” Lin said.
This research revealed that temporary fat inflammation triggered by skin injury is “actually beneficial,” he added.
“It creates a short burst of energy and signals that awaken nearby stem cells to repair the tissue,” Lin told Fox News Digital. “We think similar mechanisms may help other fat-rich tissues heal after injury … The follicles have all the machinery to absorb fatty acids and metabolize them for energy.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The researcher noted that this discovery could have implications “beyond hair.”
“Some cancer cells also rely on fatty acids for energy,” he said. “Understanding how tissues use or release fat could help us uncover new strategies for controlling cancer growth in fat-rich environments.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp said he considers these findings “notable” amid “intense interest” in research on hair-loss treatments.
“But they are very preliminary, and because the experiments were not performed on human scalp skin, the results may not be applicable to people,” he said.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“This study is small, and more research is needed on this method as a potential treatment option for androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss, the most common type in both men and women).”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Head researcher Lin reiterated that “proper human trials” are essential to “work out the best formulation and dosage for hair regrowth.”
Until this potential method is approved for clinical use in humans, Camp encourages those experiencing hair loss to focus on currently available and “well-studied” treatments, as well as scheduling an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist for evaluation.
One toxic behavior can ruin your relationships, happiness expert warns
Most people spend their lives chasing happiness — or, more often, running from unhappiness — whether it’s through healthy coping methods or unhealthy escape routes.
Behavioral scientist and happiness expert Arthur Brooks, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, spoke with Fox News Digital in an interview about the balance between happiness and unhappiness.
“They are actually processed in different hemispheres of the brain, and you need both,” he said.
HAPPINESS EXPERT SHARES 6-STEP MORNING ROUTINE THAT BOOSTS MOOD AND PRODUCTIVITY
“You need to have a lot of happiness such that you can have a good life, and you need unhappiness because it’s a signal that there are things out there you need to be paying attention to,” Brooks went on.
“If you never had any negative emotions, you’d be dead in a week. That’s the truth of the matter.”
It’s important to manage negative emotions, especially for people who tend to experience them more intensely — often called “high negative affect” individuals, according to the expert.
There are some unhealthy ways to manage negative affect, such as indulging in drugs and alcohol and using technology as a distraction.
“Like scrolling Instagram and looking at these platforms, just trying to get out of your head, not being in the moment to distract yourself from things that are actually bothering you,” Brooks said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
One of the worst ways to manage negative emotion is through constant, excessive work, or what Brooks calls “workaholism.”
“Most workaholics are distracting themselves from things in their life that they don’t like,” he noted.
“And they know they’re super good at work … and they can get into kind of a zone when they’re working, and they don’t think about the things they don’t want to be thinking about. That’s where workaholism generally comes from.”
Brooks noted that there are “very few workaholics” today who are required by a boss to work “too much,” although this can happen. More commonly, it’s driven by a personal push to work harder. “Most workaholics are their own tyrannical bosses,” he added.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Workaholism can lead to severed relationships with loved ones, from spouses to parents to children, Brooks warned.
“There’s never been a workaholic who had functional relationships,” he said.
Brooks encouraged those who engage in excessive work, and can sense it’s “hurting” their relationships, to reflect and question, “Why am I actually doing that?”
“[You] need to do something to manage anxiety in a more productive way,” he advised.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Instead of numbing or running from anxiety or negative thoughts, Brooks suggested tried-and-true practices for mood management, including exercise and metaphysical or spiritual connection.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The two best ways for you to manage your anxiety — get in touch with your faith or spirituality and go pick up heavy things and run around,” he said.
“Physical activity and exercise and spiritual activity … They’re a heck of a lot better for your mental health, including your relationships.”