Tuning out the news

[Elefantino]

Preface: I hope this does not turn into a flaming politics thread.

After having been both a consumer and generator of news for most of my life, I decided recently to detach myself, for the most part, from the daily madness of the news circus. By that I mean I removed all political players from my Twitter feed, no longer watch cable news and don't discuss it much anymore. I still have a Washington Post subscription but for the most part am avoiding the Beltway Blather and read the lifestyle pieces.

It has been refreshing.

Regardless of anyone's ideological bent, I don't think there's any argument that the daily drumbeat of he/she did this/that has made much if not most of our discourse more toxic. It's been more than 20 years since Psychology Today reported its first "negative news" study - which was damning at the time - and those days seem like a kumbaya campfire compared with the present. I have family members on both sides of the political spectrum, and the ones who spend the most time watching/discussing/living/breathing all things political have become very angry.

One of them called me just now and asked if I'd read the Mueller Report yet. Uh, no; hadn't and don't plan to. Then came the attack: "Don't you care anymore? Have you given up?"

In a sense, yes. I've given up structuring my thoughts and my day around what is happening politically. I'd much rather watch race reruns on Eurosport than the latest cable news gabfest. We're watching more movies and shows on Amazon and Netflix. We're taking more walks with the dog. We're playing more gin.

Some might consider this an abdication of my journalism roots (35 years in the news business), and it probably is to some degree. But so what.

Has anyone else cut the political/news cord?

[sokyroadie]

Pretty much, if I happen so see something when I scroll the web, I might glance at it but I haven't sat through a news program in years. I have enough issues to deal with without seeing all the depressing news. Drinking more Gin sounds like more fun than playing.

[oldpotatoe]

Sure, why not but please don’t give up your duty to vote, November 2020.

[Clean39T]

Yep - almost didn't even open this thread... !!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[sipmeister]

I read cycling related news and scan some headlines occasionally. But each day the news is the same and has had a similar theme for years now. The more I stepped back, the more I saw a pattern in the news, meant to get people excited and get an emotion out of them. It's become predictable.

[jimcav]

I value FOI and having facts out in the open. Having some talking head with questionable true expertise (ie " _____strategist") give opinion and interpretation is a bit mind-numbing--which to me is dangerous. I wish people wanted to be informed versus influenced toward what they already wish was true.

[FlashUNC]

I fully support anyone taking a break when they need to, but I would caution that an engaged, informed society is necessary for a functioning democracy. So please don't fully disengage.

Apathy is corrosive to the institutions that the country has built over the last two centuries, and there are some segments of the population today who don't have the luxury of disengaging because our political choices have real impact on their lives.

But yes, there's times when I need to mute the news for a few days. Let someone else fight the good fight.

[old_fat_and_slow]

I couldn't disagree more. It is the electorate's responsibility to stay abreast of the news and the current issues affecting society. If you're uninformed about the problems affecting society, how are you going to make the proper decisions come voting time? Sure you need to account for a certain amount of "spin" depending on your news source, but I don't think the answer to society's problems is to just stick our collective heads in the sand and ignore the news because we don't like it or we're tired of hearing the same stuff all the time.

[prototoast]

I work for the federal government in the Government Accountability Office, so it's my job not to tune out a lot of the government news. I'd like to say that we pay attention so you don't have to, but at the end of the day, the government is run by elected officials or those they appoint; so to keep the system running smoothly it is important that the citizens vote, and it's important that citizens keep themselves informed.

But with all that said, it's probably healthy to tune out the cable news debate-as-sport 24 hour programming. It's probably healthy to not rush from one clickbait headline to the next. It's probably healthy to make sure that your life is the primary focus of your life, and not just following the stories of other.

Try to keep things in balance, keep yourself informed, be engaged with both local and national politics, but don't let them take over your life. Beyond that, know that there are many of us behind the scenes working every day to make our government work better for you

[Seramount]

seems like a somewhat important point in the country's history to pay attention to what's happening.

you don't have to mainline the news, but something beyond a vague awareness of currents events would be worthwhile to those intending to cast a ballot.

[OtayBW]

I hear you about taking a news break. I have a 1.5 - 2 hour commute each way, and I usually listen to news/talk radio. With all this continuing and degenerating $(#$&! going on each day, I have been about ready to seek counseling.....

But here right now, things are critical, so I'll continue to listen, but the chronic stress is really starting to get to me...

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by sipmeister

I read cycling related news and scan some headlines occasionally. But each day the news is the same and has had a similar theme for years now. The more I stepped back, the more I saw a pattern in the news, meant to get people excited and get an emotion out of them. It's become predictable.

You know why, right?

If you're reacting emotionally, you're not analysing. You've stopped thinking logically.

People that are reacting are MUCH much easier to control than the ones that think things thru before they decide how to react.

I'm with the OP for the most part. If there's something particularly egregious, I'll pay attention, but overall? Pass. I don't need the negativity in my life that the news brings. ...since there's no such thing as good news.

M

[MattTuck]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

I fully support anyone taking a break when they need to, but I would caution that an engaged, informed society is necessary for a functioning democracy. So please don't fully disengage.

Apathy is corrosive to the institutions that the country has built over the last two centuries, and there are some segments of the population today who don't have the luxury of disengaging because our political choices have real impact on their lives.

But yes, there's times when I need to mute the news for a few days. Let someone else fight the good fight.

Also worth noting that much of what passes for "news" today is more about making headlines than covering the important issues we face as a society. There is a bit too much attention paid to covering the horse race than there is to horse racing industry.

I'll also add that there are billions of people on the planet that don't have access to a free and independent press, and thus it shouldn't be taken for granted.

Sadly, true journalism seems to be a waning craft as the media industry chases clicks.

[choke]

I haven't paid attention to mainstream news outlets for years....they're toxic IMO. And they all have a bias....

A letter from Thomas Jefferson in 1807:

To your request of my opinion of the manner in which a newspaper should be conducted, so as to be most useful, I should answer, `by restraining it to true facts & sound principles only.' Yet I fear such a paper would find few subscribers. It is a melancholy truth, that a suppression of the press could not more compleatly deprive the nation of it's benefits, than is done by it's abandoned prostitution to falsehood. Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. The real extent of this state of misinformation is known only to those who are in situations to confront facts within their knolege with the lies of the day.

[josephr]

I quit Facebook and news following last summer...occasionally people bring up politics and I just nod, try to change the subject or walk away. Also avoid others' drama too. I'm happy in my isolation.