We are naturally wired to be threat-aware. It enabled the species to survive.

That said, our current (media) environment knows this and loves pressing that button. Evidently, the media can't help itself either. It's wired to hoard (read: greed) and can't resist the cha-ching that follows the pressing of our collective buttons. I wonder if the NYT realizes the irony of it publishing articles such as this?

As a side note, I recently read "The Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter. He does of solid job of mapping traits that helped us survive that are now working against us.

That was the wordiest way of using the Skinner meme against a magazines own readers that I have ever seen.

"Am I part of the problem?" NY Times asks.

No, its the brains who are wrong!"

Not just your brain but mainstream media is equally responsible, especially the cynicism inducing pieces every now and then by outlets like nytimes.