# Making Positivity Louder | Future Beyond Past | Kshitij Sheetak | TEDxIIITDelhi Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7D3drqifAs Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/O7D3drqifAs Generated: 2026-02-27T19:03:05.958+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Kshitij Sheetak, also known as Shoot Guru, argues that the digital content ecosystem prioritizes negative, engagement-driven content over positive content, leading to the "Silence of Positivity" where creators hesitate to post positive material due to fear of trolls, and concludes by urging the audience to actively "Make Positivity Louder" by consistently sharing uplifting stories to change the paradigm. **Key Points:** - The speaker, Kshitij Sheetak (Shoot Guru), notes that digital content creation has evolved from film school roots to content strategy driven by short, attention-grabbing formats. - Viral negativity spreads fast, grabs attention, leaves no value, and is often forgotten quickly, contrasting sharply with positive content that rarely goes viral overnight. - Positive creators often stay quiet, get overshadowed, and hesitate to post for fear of trolls, whose negative comments are loud and bold. - The speaker cites his experience covering the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where the focus was on getting the right shot, not the emotional impact, reflecting a content focus on virality over substance. - The current social media paradigm favors engagement metrics (likes, shares) over meaningful connection or positive impact, leading to algorithm suppression of genuine positive content. - Sheetak proposes a vision for the future: creating safe, positive digital spaces by building communities, not controversies, and telling stories that uplift and unite. - The call to action is to "Let's Make Positivity Louder" by consistently posting at least one piece of positive content per week to shift the narrative away from negativity. ![Screenshot at 00:24: The title slide for the talk displays "The Future We Create" and the theme "Future Beyond Past," setting the stage for a discussion on evolving content creation practices.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O7D3drqifAs/00-00-24.jpg) **Context:** This TEDx talk, delivered by Kshitij Sheetak (also known as Shoot Guru) at TEDxIIITDelhi on April 5th, 2025, addresses the pervasive issue of negativity dominating social media and content creation. Sheetak, who transitioned from photojournalism to content creation, uses his experience—including covering the 2008 Mumbai attacks—to illustrate how the focus has shifted from deep storytelling and impact to superficial engagement metrics, resulting in the silencing of positive voices. ## Detailed Analysis Kshitij Sheetak begins by establishing his background in filmmaking and marketing, contrasting the era of 3-hour cinematic entertainment with today's 3-second attention spans driven by social media. He poses a critical question: When was the last time a positive post went viral overnight? He observes that negative content, especially from trolls who are loud and bold, spreads rapidly and dominates online discourse, while positive creators hesitate to post or speak up for fear of backlash or being overshadowed. He recounts an experience as a photojournalist during the 2008 Mumbai attacks where the pressure was on capturing the 'right shot' for virality, rather than the emotional truth, demonstrating how the system prioritizes sensationalism. Sheetak argues that the current social media paradigm controls content distribution by prioritizing engagement metrics (likes, shares) over genuine care or authenticity, leading to the 'Silence of Positivity.' He notes that algorithms often suppress positive content, especially if it doesn't fit the viral negativity model. His vision for the future is simple: to create safe and positive digital spaces, build communities instead of controversies, and tell stories that uplift and unite. He challenges the audience to actively change this by committing to posting at least one piece of positive content weekly to make positivity louder and counteract the ingrained algorithmic preference for negative narratives. ### Introduction & Evolution of Content - Filmmaking background shifts to content strategy - Content consumption reduced to 3-second attention spans - Virality is prioritized over substance. ### The Problem - Viral Negativity: Negative content spreads fast, grabs attention, and leaves no value - Positive creators stay quiet, hesitate, or get overshadowed by loud trolls. ### Personal Anecdote & System Flaw - Recounts covering 2008 Mumbai attacks where focus was on the 'right shot' over emotional impact - System suppresses positive content/algorithms favor negative engagement. ### Call to Action & Vision - We must change the paradigm by actively creating positive content daily/weekly - Vision: Create safe digital spaces, build communities, and tell uplifting stories. ### Conclusion - Let's Make Positivity Louder: A final appeal to the audience to consciously boost positive content to shift the current social media landscape. ![Screenshot at 00:03: Slide showing event details: TEDxIIITDelhi, 5th April 2025.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O7D3drqifAs/00-00-03.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:24: Title slide: "The Future We Create" with the sub-theme "Future Beyond Past."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O7D3drqifAs/00-00-24.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:45: Slide contrasting content evolution: "From camcorders to smartphones" and "From storytelling to content strategy."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O7D3drqifAs/00-00-45.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:45: Slide posing a challenge: 'When was the last time you heard of a positive post going viral overnight?'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O7D3drqifAs/00-01-45.jpg) ![Screenshot at 07:08: Slide titled 'The Silence of Positivity' listing reasons why positive creators hesitate: 'Trolls are loud and bold.'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O7D3drqifAs/00-07-08.jpg)