I'd like to post this topic, because I'd like to discuss this.
Here's some background that I recommend reading:
http://joel.is/post/31582795753/the-power-of-ignoring-mainstream-newsI've always been an avid reader of news. Typically main stream news. I used to go over lots of national news papers every day, and also the occasional visits to international news papers (websites).
As I've grown older, I am removing myself from the notion that in life, everything's about myself. I'm become aware I'm a part of a whole, that I am a part of society, and as such politics and things that happens in society have been of interest to me, and also seeing how things are run, and the problems faced by many countries, and of course international politics and happenings as a whole have been more interesting. Joining the bitcoin community and seeing and learning a lot about how things are run in general, ie. big corporate, corrupt governments etc. have strengthened me in my libertal views in the department of politics.
In parallel I've been starting to think about mass media, mainly main stream news, and the effects it has on our lives. As put forth in the link above, 95% of news are negative. And this does in fact affect us, it does affect me. When I read the daily national news, my emotions change from contempt, to disgust, to disbelief, to frustration, to shock and so on. There's simply so much stupidity going on that it's staggering. And there's so much stuff that politicians chose to solve in a very bad way, if they even mangage to solve it. So many solutions that makes me downright angry, because it seems like experts in the field haven't even been consulted and that solutions are just pulled out of the air or made up on the spot based on a politician's personal preferences, or the preferences of a small group of politicians, and there's so much populistic opinions and acts, while what society and the community needs are people who can think long term, and to create systems that are sustainable for a long time to come.
I realize that many news papers make cases look controversial and they're polarizating a lot. Esp. tabloid media.
Now, for most people, life consists of work, their families and their leisure activities, including friends and social activities. Most people has no influence about the larger issues that goes on between countries, or in the own country for that matter. So what is the point of being concerned about it ? Do they need to be concerned about the stuff that's going on every day, every week, every month or every year ? Would not reading a monthly or yearly chronicle be enough ? If there's something really important going on, like the country being invaded by another country, won't someone notice you ?
I'm not saying that we should stay ignorant, but I'm debating whether reading or watching the daily news is beneficial to our lives in general. As we know, many news sources are tools for the government or big corporations. There are certain viewpoints that are considered 'right', although they may not necessarily be the 'universal truth'. I'm not looking into conspiracy theories here, but I do question authority, not for the sake of questioning authority, just to be in opposition, but because I do honestly believe that the state is not always right, and what the state decide should be legal or illegal is not always the same things that I feel should be legal or illegal.
Questioning authority is only healthy. Why should we obey without asking questions ? Many people are afraid to go outside the main stream, and they've been accustomed to do what everyone else expects them to do. It takes strength to go outside the beaten path.
Lately I've been focusing on what's really important in life. It's not to impress others, it's not to make a lot of money, but it's about being happy. That may sound like some hippie speaking of utopian ideals. But it really is not, what it's more about is to take control of my own life and it's direction.
Let's face it, no matter our level of knowledge or level of education, we are affected by our environment. Everything has an impact on us. If we're surrounded by positive upbeat people, then we feel upbeat too. On the other hand, if we're greeted by angry unhappy people, it doesn't put a smile on our mouths.
Most of us have aspirations, dreams and goals, things we want to achieve in life. For instance, goals could be to score a great job, finish a degree, raise a family, or anything else that makes you feel a great sense of achivement and/or happiness. Things worth fighting for doesn't come easily, and neither should they.
Every day, when we wake up, is a new day, with lots of opportunities, some lack direction and don't have any goals, while others are very driven and work hard to achive their goals. So, the mindset is very important. Do you weak up with the toughts in your head that you're a great person, and that you can do greats things, that you have great belief in the things that you do, and you know that you're a success, or do you just let yourself drift between every mundane task in everyday life and really doesn't take control ?
It's very individual what makes us feel great. But we've all experienced it at some points. When we feel we are respected and that what we do matters and is appreciated, we feel better. If all our efforts receive no attention, and we're not treated well, we will gradually lose our motivation.
I've focused on how I feel after reading the news. Since nearly all of it is negative, I don't feel good at all. I don't cry, despair or get cut off from doing the tasks I'm supposed to do, but I certainly does not feel great and in light spirit.
After all, how much do I need to know that some people north in the country got killed in a car accident, that some politician is told to be corrupt and is now being investigated, that a building burned down to the ground in a major city and 5 people lost their lives, that someone robbed a jewelry store, that somebody shot their ex-girlfriend to death and so on. There are so many things in the news that plainly makes me not feel good. Deaths, murders, accidents, I can't sympathize with all the victims, I can't cry for all of them. Of course some incidents are worse than others, and may make me reflect upon life, esp. if the incident is close to me or touches somebody I know. But overall, there's a lot of things in the news that I don't need to know, and more importantly, most of the things I can do nothing about. I am not in a position where I can affect a lot of lives. I can affect and have an impact on my family, my friends, my clients and so on, but unless I go into politics or start some interest group, there's not much I can do either way about most issues. As most people, I have enough with making ends meet, caring for the family and other obligations. When the time is right, I may fight for a cause and make a difference. But right now I don't have the resources to do that. I think it's great with people who have built a fortune, and is helping the world with humanitarian actions through different projects. I hope to at one point be in that position too.
So what's the point then ? What's the point in following the news ? Because it is my obligation as a citizen ? Because I owe it to the community ?
I can't remember the last time I felt empowered by following main stream news. Apart from the occasional charming story about some animal rescued that was near death and stuff like that, there's not much that's really uplifting and positive.
If I want to learn about politics, a country, a battle of war, an ancient building, or whatever piques my interest, I could read a book, to get an in depth understanding of the issues at hand. That could be a positive experience, and I could filter what I would read myself.
I've often just read the news just to read it, is there anything new ? And most of the time I read about provoking things that just makes me complain about it to people I know. Did you hear what politician so and so proposed ? Did you hear about that evil corporation and what they did ? What value does it bring to our lives, what value does it bring to the conversation.
Since most of the news is negative, this may lead to a mindset thinking that the world is a horrible place, and just getting worse. When in fact we live in interesting times, and we have the opportunity to use technology, to travel and do many things that people only 100 years ago could not do that easily.
So, since most of the things that I read in main stream news, or watch on 'the news' doesn't improve my life, and I can't do anything to fix the issues at hand, and it doesn't make me feel better, I decided to stop watching it, and to stop reading it, and I've done so now for a few weeks. I simply made a distinct decision not to visit those sites. Whenever the urge come to 'just check if there's anything new', I simply don't act on it. I do however read niche news, like hacker news and slashdot, because that's often stories that interests me, but I only click on the stories that seems interesting, and this sometimes directs me to main stream news sites, but that's the only thing I read about it.
It's a bit funny though, because it's so ingrained in society to 'read the news', it's almost like it's something you just have to do, it's your obligation like a citizen, or it's a custom that people just do without reflecting on it. People who just do things because that's how society works, or that's what they're accustomed to, people who never questions why something is the way it is, I like to call them sheep.
Most people, when going into a store to buy something, they buy what they need, and then they leave, they don't stay around for 30 minutes and buy whatever the crew at the store puts in their hands. But this is basically what happens when you watch 'the news', you are served a lot of stuff that you have no interest in seeing, but yet, you feel it's your 'obligation' to watch it, because everyone else does. And thus, for many people, reality is what's on TV. If it's not on TV, then it doesn't exist. So it makes for a shallow world.
Also, I'm very critical to the values put forth by tabloid media and mainstream TV. The only thing that is worth something, according to these ideals it that you have to be rich and good looking. That's about it. If you're neither of these things, you're basically not worthy of admiration. People that are young, doesn't get proper values and ideals from their homes, they're severly affected by this, they want to look like the sexed up popstars on MTV and so on.
These values are however not real values, just look to how many unhappy rich people there are. Money is not everything. Far more important is things like love, honesty, sincerity, reliability and decency.
It's now been a few weeks, and I don't miss mainstream news. I feel a lot better, I'm not having my daily dose of being upset about hopeless politicians, and stupid people and learning about a lot of issues that I really have no interest of knowing or any chance to do anything about.
The media is like a group of vultures, hustling from one case to the next, it's always about the 'scoop'. What can bring in the audience, what can bring in the clicks, what can bring in the money ?
I chose to hop of this train, and I've decided to use more time on educating myself in things related to my interests, and spend time on those projects I've thought of doing, but never getting around to.
What also often irritates me is that very many news articles are very poorly written, they are often highly inaccurate, and does not go in depth on the subject. Esp. when you know alot about a certain subject, this is highly annoying. It has come to the point, where I look at the profession of being a journalist with somewhat contempt. It doesn't mean all journalists sucks, as sometimes there's the elegant piece that's taken months to puzzle together, but esp. with all the tabloid online news sites, there's so much crap, that I'd need trucks just to get rid of all the drivel.
Did you ever reflect upon your habitual viewing and reading of main stream news ?
Did you ever try to stop reading the news, and what effect did this have on your life, in a positive or negative way ?
Personally I find that I'm more level headed, and not using time or being emotionally affected by news, I have more time to pursue my interests that makes me happy. You can say that you doesn't get affected by the news, that you just need to browse through it to see if there's something interesting, but if you admit ir or not, all input in your life affects you some way or another.
What's your opinion about a country ? Did you ever go there yourself to learn about it, did you read books about it, or is everything you know about that country formed by what you've learned in the main stream news ? Since 95% of what we read in the main stream news are negative, it's highly likely that your impression about one particular country could be negative.
The news media is very powerful, because it can form the opinion of people. Don't like someone, just plant alot of negative news articles about it, and people will fear it, and won't have anything to do with it. Just like we see with bitcoin in the main stream news these days.
If you mindlessly bow to all authority and always watch and read the news, I hope this made you think. Personally I feel better being without the news. Is it ignorant ? Irresponsible ? I don't think so, as it's a mature decision, if it wasn't for the rest of my family, I'd be inclined to toss out the TV's as well.
Perhaps by the end of the year, I will buy a journal to learn what happend that year.
