Supermarket Tabloids - Opinion

Tabloid publications are considered by most as the bottom rung of journalism, as they often use sensationalist tactics to peddle what are usually complete lies. From stories of domestic abuse, drug scandals and alien sightings to the celebrity and political scandals that dominate headlines today, tabloids (when we actually read them) greatly affect our perception of the social and political landscape of our society. But if these publications are mostly lies and sensational headlines, why do people still read them? Why are tabloids so successful?

Tabloids give us the same sense of satisfaction that we get when being told a secret, seeing a secret meeting, or discussing gossip with friends. Evolutionarily speaking, humans are wired to be receptive to gossip for multiple reasons. Evolutionary biologist Daniel Kruger states that engaging in gossip may have been a survival trait for earlier man. For personal benefit, "learning what high-status individuals do, so you might more effectively become one," and for socio-political benefit, "knowing what is going on with high-status individuals, you'd be better able to navigate the social scene." Watching individuals that you want to be like or having information on popular topics makes you better prepared for social interaction and more likable.
Ultimately, tabloids are less like news and more like drugs and Facebook. While they don't provide much factual information, they appeal to the human mind, full of juicy gossip to be shared, sold, or secretted. Like watching a train crash, you know nothing good will come of it but you cannot make yourself look away.