Would it surprise you to know that I don't follow the news anymore?
When I lived in Cowcity, I'd watch the network news (usually CBS because I like the way Dan Rather sounded, there's something soothing in his drawl) every evening. (There's something comforting in his voice.) I read The New York Times online to find out what had happened in the world and nation. When I was at work, I'd swipe a copy of The Sacramento Bee to keep up on what was going on in the state. In my car, I had the station tuned to NPR (except after midnight, because I didn't care for the SF based shows) so I could get some breaking national and international news every hour (or half hour, depending on the time of day) as well as hear their take on events.
When I moved back to Cowtown and lived with my parents, I had lost the TV, but continued with the Times. I rarely perused the local paper because it didn't do a very good job reporting state news. I still listened to NPR each time I got into my car.
During that time, I started to get sick of the news I was reading about or hearing. There were lots of reports on things to be afraid of. (Avian flu was the new SARs.) Neither state nor federal government seemed to be able to do things to actually help the people, well, anywhere. Stories were starting to break about Congressmen being corrupt. (Did that actually surprise anyone?) The Scooter Libby thing was underway. Wave after horrible wave of Iraq news washed over me. On and on it went.
About a month before I moved, I stopped checking out the Times. I just couldn't take the news anymore.
After Christmas, I quit listening to NPR, except for Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation: Science Friday, and A Prairie Home Companion, when I can.
All the news seemed so repetitive, so negative. Like it was trying to force to close my eyes, cover my ears, and stop thinking, just fear. I couldn't deal with that anymore.
So I quit the news. I know it's still out there. It's right at my fingertips at this moment, but I don't need it.
Today, I get all my news from comedy: The Onion, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher, and Weekend Update. (The NBC site is really out of date.) It's not real and it's not substantial, but it's also not about making me afraid of living and next month, it'll only be The Onion.
I know that doing this to me is like sticking my head in the sand, but I can't care right now.
I'm sick of the fear that's thrust upon people.
Maybe, in a few months, I'll start looking at real news, but for now, I don't want to.
4 comments:
Do you really believe it is sticking your head in the sand?
Is it so important to know which disease we are "supposed" to be afraid of right now? Does any of it really matter?
The news these days IS news because it is frightening. Otherwise it doesn't sell. Do we really need to know that some man in Florida is beating his children?
I say, until the news goes back to being informative instead of senstionalism, listen to people and what they have to say instead.
Mummy
You're right. Most of it is fear-mongering and planned dis-information to distract people for being informed about, and taking action on, real issues. Daaad
"Do you really believe that it is sticking your head in the sand?"
Yeah, I do. While I don't want to hear about parents beating their children, or the latest "hidden camera" report, I think it's important to know what the leaders of this and other nations are doing or planning to do. I think it's important to have a basic understanding and knowledge of what's happening in the world around us.
The thing is, I'm sick of trying to filter out all the bullshit and spin from the tiny nuggets of real and important information.
So, by cutting myself off completely from news, I do think I'm burying my head in the sand.
"The thing is, I'm sick of trying to filter out all the bullshit and spin from the tiny nuggets of real and important information."
And herein lies the problem. The media has sold out and no longer gives us the real news. You're right, it's a PITA to try and figure out the real thing.
First, a PITA? I'm sure you don't mean the pocket bread from the lands surrounding the Mediterranean.
Second, I'm glad you agree that the news is a problem, but does that mean we should stop looking for information?
For me, for now, it means stop, but deep inside, I know that's not the answer to this problem.
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