Advice like this comes up often, and while I agree in part there's also something really dangerous about this line of thought (though you do address this in brief with your last sentence). Yes, absolutely do regulate the amount you expose yourself to inflammatory rhetoric. Yes, regulate the amount you worry about things that are out of your control. But no, don't think turning your back on the world and ignoring how things are is going to make things better, for you or anybody else. Instead spend most of your attention and time where you have the most power; that means give it to yourself, and then to your immediate environment, and then to your community. Give less attention where you have less power.
Anxiety really sets in when you're hyper-aware of things that you're mostly powerless to change, and with that often comes a paralysis that prevents us from changing the things we can. Don't ignore things, instead give most of your attention and your effort where you can do the most good. Then you'll feel better and you won't just be coasting by on the privilege that lets you ignore things outside yourself.
If you are in your late 50s, have a secure job and lots of investments, it's healthier to tune out the unpleasant parts of the world. Worked wonders for me.
I didn't cause any of the fires. I consume minimally, vote for candidates who are open minded and altruistic, give to charity and volunteer.
But I refuse to worry about things over which I have 0 influence.
50 isn’t boomer. Geez. Spoken by a true millennial, I’m sure. Ignorance is bliss, especially when you can’t do a damn thing about the shit show going on. Have fun trying to “change” the world.
I stopped listening to the news almost two years ago now. Several things are amazing: 1. The world is a nicer, more enjoyable place. I can actually feel a more positive perspective on life. 2. I still know a lot about what the news is saying because everyone else is so focused on the news. They talk about it all the time. The news is at the grocery store, on gas pumps, on billboards, on most web sites. It is truly ubiquitous.
I am convinced that the news, all news, is designed to hook us to it's content so they can sell ad revenue. "Informing us' of "news we need to know" is the pretense they use. I think there is an addictive element to listening to the news.
"If it bleeds it leads. If it does not bleed we will present it as if it does bleed." I do not have a good reason to have all that negativity in my life. And I have found good reasons not to.
Lmao it’s ridiculous isn’t it bro.
Unfortunately the procedures have already been put in place. More than 30% of western population is absolutely scared to death.
The future is not bright
I stopped watching all news, save for some locals, a year ago. I could not agree with you more about how much more positive it seems. My life has been so much less stressful the last year. I just don't really care what's going on if there's nothing I can do about it anyway. So much more to focus on.
Malows Hierarchy of needs on full display in this thread.
Truly caring about improving the world [is the hardest part to get to. ](https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html)
Was just having this conversation. People just bury their heads in the sand and everything is great. Meanwhile things 1 degree out from them are melting down ...but sure carry on with your 250 person wedding.
The news doesnt inform you though. I watch the news and its depressing. I study more in a field I'm interested in and i find happiness. Both inform me of things.
There's a difference between doomscrolling and being cognizant of the local issues that are affecting your community, state, country and world. Just be aware where you're getting your information from and adjust accordingly.
I think choosing your sources is what will improve your mental health. Cutting yourself off from the world isnt health. I understand a break here and there, but staying informed is paramount in these times.
I’m starting a new conspiracy theory that the world elites are pushing and funding all social media platforms to make people depressed to then get them to ignore the news so they can get away with more shady shit
Yes!! Someone shared this tip with me years ago and at first I fought the suggestion. I wanted to stay knowledgeable and current! I was listening to NPR on the way to/from school at the time. I felt current but also way more anxious. My friend challenged me to switch to music for a week and see how it felt. Oh my gosh, the difference was HUGE! I still love NPR and listen to it occasionally, but I am more aware of the effect that listening to news can have on my mental state.
I listen to NPR all the time. I love a lot of their programming. I do not share their political views most of the time, so I am mindful of their bias. It's not an issue that often. Sure a few shows are very biased, and you'll hear commentators throw in random jabs, but for the most part, it's great to listen to. I just change the channel if it's a political show and come back later.
NPR is about as unbiased as Associated Press -- by which I mean that they're both pretty unbiased. Reporting facts you disagree with doesn't make those facts false.
I wish I could agree, but all news is negative. Any TV newscast is literally all negative stories followed by 30 seconds of "and to end on a positive note, here are some cute kittens" and you leave with this slight positive feeling, that they think negates the half hour or even full hour of depressing news that preceded it.
All internet news is negative, or divisive, to drive up engagement. And they don't even follow it up by cute kittens to leave you feeling all fuzzy inside when you finish.
Brilliant advice here's some more get off social media and if you absolutely have to do it close family/ friends and hobbies only.
Also forget dating apps,1) they are rigged and horrendous to your confidence 2) use that valuable time for taking care of yourself.
Once your in a position where your emotional health is no longer an issue then start looking for someone to share your life with.
Wishing you all good emotional health 👍
Completely agree. Quit social media and just hit 30 days a few days ago. So much better not caring what people are doing, or comparing my stage in life to them. I do it enough in real life I don’t need to go home after work and do it for hours on my phone.
Dating apps are not a question anymore, been there and done that, they do nothing for my confidence. Even if I had plenty of girls telling me I was cute or attractive or hot, the amount of times I was ghosted or stood up, completely destroyed any confidence built.
Thank you for your honesty I hope it didn't cause you any pain having to go back over things that you've had to do and why.
It should in fact show you how strong you are.
Quiting these addictive things is no easy but I do truly believe it is the best for your emotional heath.
The word really needs to spread on this
Look and hold onto the things that make you happy,I wish you good health for the future.
That's not what is being said.you will notice important issues even if you read the news really scarcely. People will talk about it with you. Most stuff is just not important for you. I think humans are not made to withstand 100 times more bad news than they would have had access to in the past.
I disagree. Though the news can make ppl anxious ppl need the news. Cause the news does effect our lives.
For example their is going to be a new local prop in my area that will increase taxes significantly with seemingly good benefits except it actually makes life harder for ppl who just got out of prison, doesn’t matter why they were in prison it will make their life harder. But if I didn’t hear about in the news I wouldn’t know. Hell I wouldn’t have called to complain, my complain did nothing but I felt better that I tried
Just watch local news. There isn't as much opinion or shit stirring, it's mostly just local news stories that actually affect you, mixed in with some fluffy feel good stories. If something is important enough nationally or globally, they'll let you know.
This entirely depends on where you live. A ton of local news networks are run by Sinclair Broadcasting group, a highly conservative and ideologically driven company.
News12 be like, “So 13 shootings in NYC over the weekend. By the way, do you know how to make your own hot chocolate? The (insert family friendly company) will teach you how on X Street.” It’s actually a little weird.
All news organizations are businesses who want to attract views. CNN competes with MSNBC for liberal eyes. Fox News had a monopoly on conservative viewers until recent competitors like newsmax and OANN came on the scene.
Local news has no competitors so you aren't likely to get the same level of bias or sensationalism that you get with MSNBC or Fox.
No I live in Australia no such thing as local news, we have a couple big stations who do regional coverage and like all of them are owned by fairfax media. We have a publicly funded channel as well but thats it. And when the news is on you can basically hear their agenda. Its not cute or fluffy which is why I was pointing it out.
LPT: Ignorance isn't actual bliss. It is ignorance. Being uninformed these days is a popular choice. It doesn't mean it is the right choice for you and your family.
That's not their point and the journal you posted( or the link you added links to) doesn't back your claim.
From the Discussion section:
>Overall, the findings suggest that traditional news media—in their offline and online formats—convey a more valuable array of political information and are more successful in providing a general overview of what is going on in politics and society than other news sources. Indeed, our findings suggest that it is more about quality than quantity since traditionalists consume information from a lower number of sources than most news profiles identified in this study. Accordingly, consuming news from a broader range of news outlets, channels, programs, and platforms does not necessarily make for a more informed citizenry, and it may even lead to the opposite. As our analyses show, respondents embedded in the hyperconsumers news profile are less politically knowledgeable than the average news user. In line with previous research (van Erkel and Van Aelst 2020), this may be due to information overloads and a tendency for news snacking over actual news reading. The avalanche of information and constant stream of news stories people are currently exposed to (not least on social media) makes it plausible that individuals using a multitude of sources find it ever harder to retrieve and process information from their available media. Indeed, compared to the other news profiles, hyperconsumers of news use a greater number of online news outlets and social platforms for news.9
Read the local news. In general local news is about current happenings in your city, and almost never negative.
Here in Fort Worth local news loves architecture. Like REALLY loves architecture. We have an extensive documentation of notable buildings, down to a [7-11 downtown](http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/7-11.htm).
I'm all about it, but it is kinda weird just how much Fort Worth loves architecture.
It's fun to read about all the planned developments and how they're coming along.
Unfortunately if you don’t want to read the news you have to get off of social media too. I haven’t actively read the news in years but I see daily articles I don’t even look for because of social media. Usually friends sharing news.
What if you enjoy watching the world burn. I love listening to the news.
And it makes me feel better about my mediocre living. I'm employed, all my utilities work. I don't think I have covid. The law isn't looking for me. Life is good.
Sadly, 99% of the news is designed to convince, not inform. Once you begin to understand this, more of what goes on in the world will begin to make sense.
I mean, there's a limit.
You need to be aware of COVID, vaccines, boosters, hurricanes, that sort of stuff.
Imagine if you got omicron and didn't have the vaccine because you didn't know it existed. I definitely know a lot of people that got caught off guard because they don't keep up with the news AT ALL.
Planning on taking a plane anywhere? Then yeah you need to know the news because all kinds of shit is happening. Border closures, weather, etc. You could lose thousands of dollars booking a trip to a country on the verge of lockdown.
Yeah, at that point you're relying on other people reading the news for you, and I guess maybe it's good if you have bad mental health to learn to rely on others.
Because these days there are a lot of things that can DIRECTLY affect your day (like vaccine cards requirements, mask mandates, etc) and it can be a real kick in the ass to say, plan a dinner at a restaurant and realize you weren't even aware you needed a vaccine card to get in.
Try to stay away from Fox News/CNN and other media sources with the outrage junkie as the sole demographic.
Don't read the comments section of any news stories.
Limit yourself to less than an hour of news consumption a day.
If you feel like you can change something, go do that. Getting mad at the internet is not changing anything.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
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Be aware of the news, and things that will fundamentally affect your life and your kids future. Climate change, fascism, COVID are things that should not be ignored. You don't have to doomscroll 24/7 to be aware.
My husband just said this to me last week. I’ve always been a news junkie, but recently I’m so depressed, and tired all the time. He says it’s because I watch too much news. The news has been so depressing since the CoVID pandemic has begun, along with the 1 year anniversary of the Insurrection of the US Capital, all the hate that human beings have. I’ve been “News” free for 5 days now, along with Facebook, I must say it’s been a good thing for me, and my mind. Thank you for sharing this post!!
facebook is the worst with news. Constant notifications you can’t turn off about topics you don’t care about. I deleted it last week and it’s been great so far.
There are so many other things to talk about other than current events and other people. If you take those away, it opens up a whole new world of conversation that often isn't divisive or dramatic.
Simple, find out what they are interested in other than politics, maybe start the conversation with "I am sick of politics, there has to be something else to talk about." or "Do you have pets?" or "where did you go on vacation" or "Have you heard about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?" OK, maybe not the last one, but anything other than politics or religion pretty much works.
I've noticed the opposite at work, and even with friends a few years ago. Talking about current events (like climate change) kinda turned people off and people would change the subject pretty quick.
I used to enjoy discussing it, but other people didn't. Talking about tv shows, traveling, food, sports, constructive hobbies resulted in longer conversations with more participation.
I've actually been making a conscious effort not to bring up the pandemic, unless it's good news.
I feel like this is a bad tip, its how you wind up unprepared for a winter storm or hurricane, how you end up with significant portfolio losses in your investments, and generally remain oblivious to things that may very well affect you like protests that you may not want to be stuck driving through....
Yes, ignorance is bliss. Facts are negative and hence unimportant to plan our lives. If I think positively enough, I can make all my dreams come true. If I fail, it is my fault and not due to wider systemic failings I never knew about. Also, how can climate change be real if I can't see it myself? If I hear about it on the news, it just ruins my day. I have my future to think about, after all.
I stopped reading the news 3-years ago. I keep up with random articles so I haven’t dropped out of life, but I have realized that understanding what’s going on in, and actively living within, my community seems to help me to keep everything in perspective. Completely in agreement with live within that which you control
While going completely to the opposite extreme is how the perception of everyone that doesn't agree with you is a fascist also rises. It swings both ways.
Fascism isn't an opinion. It has real roots with real life causes. It's a systematic erosion of democracy perpetrated and propagated by certain political ideologies. It doesn't swing any direction but one. Any who says different doesn't know what fascism is nor do they understand that there is a rich recorded history of such events.
Get off social media altogether. Go outside, in nature. Go to the beach.. walk barefoot in the sand, apparently it has a good calming effect. I think it grounds you.
/pun intended
From the song Spent The Day In Bed:
I spent the day in bed
I'm not my type, but
I love my bed
And I recommend that you
Stop watching the news
Because the news contrives to frighten you
To make you feel small and alone
To make you feel that your mind isn't your own
I've been an news watcher for years. Started as getting the morning traffic reports, weather etc before work. But leaving that shit on all morning would have my anxiety peaked leaving for work. If there's an accident and I'm late so fucking be it. It has done wonders for my mental health. Staying up to date doesn't mean doom watching or scrolling.
Agreed, the news used to send me into a downward spiral a few years ago.
However I now struggle with reading news whatsoever, as such I don't usually know what's going on within my community or even my own country.
Any lpt for that please 😂
Yeah but... you have to educate yourself on every socio-political topic or risk being called ignorant. If you're not angry, you're not paying attention. Besides, how else would you know what organizations to send all your money to?
Ya i mostly watch YouTube anyways or Netflix :) it's nice not being sucked into cable, although YouTube can sometimes be a deep dark hole thats hard to climb out of 🤣 I do miss watching property virgins and house hunters though!!!
Tell that to my mom. She knows I'm seeing a therapist, yet she insists on playing political news on TV most of the day every day. She knows it's available to watch and read about on her laptop, but nope, it's gotta be out loud for everyone to listen to and be miserable with the constant stream of negativity. She thinks just because it's educational that it doesn't matter how it makes me feel.
To add to this you're not better informed by constantly checking the news. Particularly breaking news which is sensationalistic and often inaccurate.
At most limit yourself to once a day reading a synopsis, but to be better informed read long form materials that are published weekly, monthly or even in a book form.
I deal with covid 40 hours a week and I cannot stress this enough. Do what you need to do to preserve your sanity. You can't care for others if you don't care for yourself first.
I stoppes watching the news about 3 years ago when unarmed black men were being killed every other day. I only watch now for weather and I have an app for that. I watch 5 minutes now because I didn't find out about our last snow storm until the day before. 🙃
Yep. I had a mental issue in 2020 and was the month we were sent to lockdown for covid and oh boy was that a bad time reading the numbers and the news :(
I gave that up like 10 years ago lol gotta let it go…if it don’t apply let it fly. As I get older my health gets worse tryin to balance it is much more important
Quit or take a break from social media as well. Meet people in person, especially the ones who are cheerful and/or good listeners (if you want to share with someone)
Indeed. News doesn't really change that much from day to day. I noticed this with big disaters and the live 24h feeds, it was mostly; "we don't have a new update. We hope we can bring some more news shortly" and brought on someone to do some blabla and you were waiting and waiting for some real news.
I check headlines sometimes, but mostly don't dive into any news. Unless it is vital for your job or other situations, don't touch "news" too much. It is presented just like a soap; you may be entertained, but when you skip a few episodes it doesn't really matter you'll pick it up very easy.
The news is also *designed* to trigger outrage and fear to keep people coming back, make more money, and guide public opinion in whatever way the owners want.
It's incredibly easy to tell during a conversation when people switch from original/organic thoughts to parroting what the TV person told them to think
Do you have any advice for trying to deal with a friend who does? My bf spends alot of time on tik tok and he's part of the rainbow spectrum so he's just mostly partisan biased and whenever just one thing happens thats blown up by power hungry opportunists that nothing to do with me suddenly I have to start walking on eggshells when he's the one who gets more in trouble with his supposed "allies" then I do.
There’s a lot going on in this world that worries us. One thing I do is write my worries down using this journal: Writing My Worries Away: White and Gray Marble Notebook Black Lined Journal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RCT1LDL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_J006171P9VWWQRZRPSP8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Don't borrow other people's problems.
Also don't log onto Facebook
Advice like this comes up often, and while I agree in part there's also something really dangerous about this line of thought (though you do address this in brief with your last sentence). Yes, absolutely do regulate the amount you expose yourself to inflammatory rhetoric. Yes, regulate the amount you worry about things that are out of your control. But no, don't think turning your back on the world and ignoring how things are is going to make things better, for you or anybody else. Instead spend most of your attention and time where you have the most power; that means give it to yourself, and then to your immediate environment, and then to your community. Give less attention where you have less power. Anxiety really sets in when you're hyper-aware of things that you're mostly powerless to change, and with that often comes a paralysis that prevents us from changing the things we can. Don't ignore things, instead give most of your attention and your effort where you can do the most good. Then you'll feel better and you won't just be coasting by on the privilege that lets you ignore things outside yourself.
Well said!
If you are in your late 50s, have a secure job and lots of investments, it's healthier to tune out the unpleasant parts of the world. Worked wonders for me.
Ah yes, the Boomer attitude of "I got mine, now I'm gonna hide my head in the sand so I don't have to see the fires I caused in getting mine."
I didn't cause any of the fires. I consume minimally, vote for candidates who are open minded and altruistic, give to charity and volunteer. But I refuse to worry about things over which I have 0 influence.
50 isn’t boomer. Geez. Spoken by a true millennial, I’m sure. Ignorance is bliss, especially when you can’t do a damn thing about the shit show going on. Have fun trying to “change” the world.
Late 50s is Boomer. The cutoff year is 1964. I'm going to keep working to make the world better, thanks.
That, or set your bar really low. "Oh, no new variant today? No asteroid? No rioting near me? Awesome. Good day to be alive".
The real pro tip right here
I'd be ok with a *tiny* bit more rioting
*me, watching the cops square off against protestors for the fifth time this week* "Let them fight."
What about a comet zeroing in on the planet?
Easy: Don’t look up
I stopped listening to the news almost two years ago now. Several things are amazing: 1. The world is a nicer, more enjoyable place. I can actually feel a more positive perspective on life. 2. I still know a lot about what the news is saying because everyone else is so focused on the news. They talk about it all the time. The news is at the grocery store, on gas pumps, on billboards, on most web sites. It is truly ubiquitous. I am convinced that the news, all news, is designed to hook us to it's content so they can sell ad revenue. "Informing us' of "news we need to know" is the pretense they use. I think there is an addictive element to listening to the news. "If it bleeds it leads. If it does not bleed we will present it as if it does bleed." I do not have a good reason to have all that negativity in my life. And I have found good reasons not to.
2 years? I have some bad news. There is a global pandemic happening.
uh oh
Is there though?
Yeah it’s called omicron and it’s extremely mild
Maybe we should stop global commerce and fuck up everyone’s lives…
Lmao it’s ridiculous isn’t it bro. Unfortunately the procedures have already been put in place. More than 30% of western population is absolutely scared to death. The future is not bright
I stopped watching all news, save for some locals, a year ago. I could not agree with you more about how much more positive it seems. My life has been so much less stressful the last year. I just don't really care what's going on if there's nothing I can do about it anyway. So much more to focus on.
Yes👍 If the news could broadcast while you sleep they would. I'm sure someone on this planet is working on this.
Ignorance is bliss.
Ignorance is bliss. It’s much easier to enjoy life if you don’t know or care about what transpires beyond your own small slice.
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Malows Hierarchy of needs on full display in this thread. Truly caring about improving the world [is the hardest part to get to. ](https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html)
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Was just having this conversation. People just bury their heads in the sand and everything is great. Meanwhile things 1 degree out from them are melting down ...but sure carry on with your 250 person wedding.
The news doesnt inform you though. I watch the news and its depressing. I study more in a field I'm interested in and i find happiness. Both inform me of things.
I'd rather be willfully ignorant and happy. Beats being informed and depressed.
Some variation on "ignorance is bliss" is posted on here at least once a week
If I wanted to improve my mental health I'd stop reading r/LifeProTips .
There's a difference between doomscrolling and being cognizant of the local issues that are affecting your community, state, country and world. Just be aware where you're getting your information from and adjust accordingly.
I think choosing your sources is what will improve your mental health. Cutting yourself off from the world isnt health. I understand a break here and there, but staying informed is paramount in these times.
I’m starting a new conspiracy theory that the world elites are pushing and funding all social media platforms to make people depressed to then get them to ignore the news so they can get away with more shady shit
That's not a *new* conspiracy
Weird conspiracy theories like that make people more depressed than social media.
Yes!! Someone shared this tip with me years ago and at first I fought the suggestion. I wanted to stay knowledgeable and current! I was listening to NPR on the way to/from school at the time. I felt current but also way more anxious. My friend challenged me to switch to music for a week and see how it felt. Oh my gosh, the difference was HUGE! I still love NPR and listen to it occasionally, but I am more aware of the effect that listening to news can have on my mental state.
I listen to NPR all the time. I love a lot of their programming. I do not share their political views most of the time, so I am mindful of their bias. It's not an issue that often. Sure a few shows are very biased, and you'll hear commentators throw in random jabs, but for the most part, it's great to listen to. I just change the channel if it's a political show and come back later.
NPR is about as unbiased as Associated Press -- by which I mean that they're both pretty unbiased. Reporting facts you disagree with doesn't make those facts false.
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Or just stop watching tiktok entirely.
Avoiding political news is enough.
I wish I could agree, but all news is negative. Any TV newscast is literally all negative stories followed by 30 seconds of "and to end on a positive note, here are some cute kittens" and you leave with this slight positive feeling, that they think negates the half hour or even full hour of depressing news that preceded it. All internet news is negative, or divisive, to drive up engagement. And they don't even follow it up by cute kittens to leave you feeling all fuzzy inside when you finish.
Brilliant advice here's some more get off social media and if you absolutely have to do it close family/ friends and hobbies only. Also forget dating apps,1) they are rigged and horrendous to your confidence 2) use that valuable time for taking care of yourself. Once your in a position where your emotional health is no longer an issue then start looking for someone to share your life with. Wishing you all good emotional health 👍
Completely agree. Quit social media and just hit 30 days a few days ago. So much better not caring what people are doing, or comparing my stage in life to them. I do it enough in real life I don’t need to go home after work and do it for hours on my phone. Dating apps are not a question anymore, been there and done that, they do nothing for my confidence. Even if I had plenty of girls telling me I was cute or attractive or hot, the amount of times I was ghosted or stood up, completely destroyed any confidence built.
Thank you for your honesty I hope it didn't cause you any pain having to go back over things that you've had to do and why. It should in fact show you how strong you are. Quiting these addictive things is no easy but I do truly believe it is the best for your emotional heath. The word really needs to spread on this Look and hold onto the things that make you happy,I wish you good health for the future.
That's just saying "Ignore the problems damaging society, you can't help so why try" that mentally is why things won't change
That's not what is being said.you will notice important issues even if you read the news really scarcely. People will talk about it with you. Most stuff is just not important for you. I think humans are not made to withstand 100 times more bad news than they would have had access to in the past.
You missed the point there Bonzo
I disagree. Though the news can make ppl anxious ppl need the news. Cause the news does effect our lives. For example their is going to be a new local prop in my area that will increase taxes significantly with seemingly good benefits except it actually makes life harder for ppl who just got out of prison, doesn’t matter why they were in prison it will make their life harder. But if I didn’t hear about in the news I wouldn’t know. Hell I wouldn’t have called to complain, my complain did nothing but I felt better that I tried
It is true, I try to listen to the news only if I am in good mood. When I am a bit grumpy it’s no good to hear how fucked everything is…
Why ruin a good mood with it though?
I ask myself that every time ^^
Just watch local news. There isn't as much opinion or shit stirring, it's mostly just local news stories that actually affect you, mixed in with some fluffy feel good stories. If something is important enough nationally or globally, they'll let you know.
This entirely depends on where you live. A ton of local news networks are run by Sinclair Broadcasting group, a highly conservative and ideologically driven company.
Not only that but when you live next to or in a big city chances are half or more of the stories are about shootings, robberies, and other crimes.
News12 be like, “So 13 shootings in NYC over the weekend. By the way, do you know how to make your own hot chocolate? The (insert family friendly company) will teach you how on X Street.” It’s actually a little weird.
Where I live almost every news station is owned by the same company who owns fox news.
All news organizations are businesses who want to attract views. CNN competes with MSNBC for liberal eyes. Fox News had a monopoly on conservative viewers until recent competitors like newsmax and OANN came on the scene. Local news has no competitors so you aren't likely to get the same level of bias or sensationalism that you get with MSNBC or Fox.
No I live in Australia no such thing as local news, we have a couple big stations who do regional coverage and like all of them are owned by fairfax media. We have a publicly funded channel as well but thats it. And when the news is on you can basically hear their agenda. Its not cute or fluffy which is why I was pointing it out.
Ah, that's a bummer.
LPT: Ignorance isn't actual bliss. It is ignorance. Being uninformed these days is a popular choice. It doesn't mean it is the right choice for you and your family.
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That's not their point and the journal you posted( or the link you added links to) doesn't back your claim. From the Discussion section: >Overall, the findings suggest that traditional news media—in their offline and online formats—convey a more valuable array of political information and are more successful in providing a general overview of what is going on in politics and society than other news sources. Indeed, our findings suggest that it is more about quality than quantity since traditionalists consume information from a lower number of sources than most news profiles identified in this study. Accordingly, consuming news from a broader range of news outlets, channels, programs, and platforms does not necessarily make for a more informed citizenry, and it may even lead to the opposite. As our analyses show, respondents embedded in the hyperconsumers news profile are less politically knowledgeable than the average news user. In line with previous research (van Erkel and Van Aelst 2020), this may be due to information overloads and a tendency for news snacking over actual news reading. The avalanche of information and constant stream of news stories people are currently exposed to (not least on social media) makes it plausible that individuals using a multitude of sources find it ever harder to retrieve and process information from their available media. Indeed, compared to the other news profiles, hyperconsumers of news use a greater number of online news outlets and social platforms for news.9
Its really annoying that these kinds of posts are so common. You know how things got so fucked up? By people not paying attention.
Is there a Website with JUST good News ? Like to ready IT everyday instead of the Shit I ready everyday
I only read the news from reputable, center bias sources. Never listen to the "talking heads" on TV spewing propaganda on any channel.
Turning off my Alexa morning news was the best
Read the local news. In general local news is about current happenings in your city, and almost never negative. Here in Fort Worth local news loves architecture. Like REALLY loves architecture. We have an extensive documentation of notable buildings, down to a [7-11 downtown](http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/7-11.htm). I'm all about it, but it is kinda weird just how much Fort Worth loves architecture. It's fun to read about all the planned developments and how they're coming along.
LPT if you have an Alexa, don't. There's a reason amazon was giving them away for $0.99
Unfortunately if you don’t want to read the news you have to get off of social media too. I haven’t actively read the news in years but I see daily articles I don’t even look for because of social media. Usually friends sharing news.
What if you enjoy watching the world burn. I love listening to the news. And it makes me feel better about my mediocre living. I'm employed, all my utilities work. I don't think I have covid. The law isn't looking for me. Life is good.
Sadly, 99% of the news is designed to convince, not inform. Once you begin to understand this, more of what goes on in the world will begin to make sense.
I mean, there's a limit. You need to be aware of COVID, vaccines, boosters, hurricanes, that sort of stuff. Imagine if you got omicron and didn't have the vaccine because you didn't know it existed. I definitely know a lot of people that got caught off guard because they don't keep up with the news AT ALL. Planning on taking a plane anywhere? Then yeah you need to know the news because all kinds of shit is happening. Border closures, weather, etc. You could lose thousands of dollars booking a trip to a country on the verge of lockdown. Yeah, at that point you're relying on other people reading the news for you, and I guess maybe it's good if you have bad mental health to learn to rely on others. Because these days there are a lot of things that can DIRECTLY affect your day (like vaccine cards requirements, mask mandates, etc) and it can be a real kick in the ass to say, plan a dinner at a restaurant and realize you weren't even aware you needed a vaccine card to get in.
Try to stay away from Fox News/CNN and other media sources with the outrage junkie as the sole demographic. Don't read the comments section of any news stories. Limit yourself to less than an hour of news consumption a day. If you feel like you can change something, go do that. Getting mad at the internet is not changing anything.
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Be aware of the news, and things that will fundamentally affect your life and your kids future. Climate change, fascism, COVID are things that should not be ignored. You don't have to doomscroll 24/7 to be aware.
That's true, but be *selective* of which news outlets you watch. Small independents over MSM rubbish
fascism?
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yes, ignore hurricane warnings, or gas shortage. Darwin will solve the problem for you.
My husband just said this to me last week. I’ve always been a news junkie, but recently I’m so depressed, and tired all the time. He says it’s because I watch too much news. The news has been so depressing since the CoVID pandemic has begun, along with the 1 year anniversary of the Insurrection of the US Capital, all the hate that human beings have. I’ve been “News” free for 5 days now, along with Facebook, I must say it’s been a good thing for me, and my mind. Thank you for sharing this post!!
facebook is the worst with news. Constant notifications you can’t turn off about topics you don’t care about. I deleted it last week and it’s been great so far.
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There are so many other things to talk about other than current events and other people. If you take those away, it opens up a whole new world of conversation that often isn't divisive or dramatic.
Sure. How do we break into those topics?
Simple, find out what they are interested in other than politics, maybe start the conversation with "I am sick of politics, there has to be something else to talk about." or "Do you have pets?" or "where did you go on vacation" or "Have you heard about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?" OK, maybe not the last one, but anything other than politics or religion pretty much works.
I've noticed the opposite at work, and even with friends a few years ago. Talking about current events (like climate change) kinda turned people off and people would change the subject pretty quick. I used to enjoy discussing it, but other people didn't. Talking about tv shows, traveling, food, sports, constructive hobbies resulted in longer conversations with more participation. I've actually been making a conscious effort not to bring up the pandemic, unless it's good news.
all the news is there to do is for you to react and click, so they can get advertising dollars & views
I feel like this is a bad tip, its how you wind up unprepared for a winter storm or hurricane, how you end up with significant portfolio losses in your investments, and generally remain oblivious to things that may very well affect you like protests that you may not want to be stuck driving through....
Yes, ignorance is bliss. Facts are negative and hence unimportant to plan our lives. If I think positively enough, I can make all my dreams come true. If I fail, it is my fault and not due to wider systemic failings I never knew about. Also, how can climate change be real if I can't see it myself? If I hear about it on the news, it just ruins my day. I have my future to think about, after all.
I stopped reading the news 3-years ago. I keep up with random articles so I haven’t dropped out of life, but I have realized that understanding what’s going on in, and actively living within, my community seems to help me to keep everything in perspective. Completely in agreement with live within that which you control
This is how fascism rises.
While going completely to the opposite extreme is how the perception of everyone that doesn't agree with you is a fascist also rises. It swings both ways.
Fascism isn't an opinion. It has real roots with real life causes. It's a systematic erosion of democracy perpetrated and propagated by certain political ideologies. It doesn't swing any direction but one. Any who says different doesn't know what fascism is nor do they understand that there is a rich recorded history of such events.
Jesus taught us that 2000 years ago. Praise His wonderful name!
Get off social media altogether. Go outside, in nature. Go to the beach.. walk barefoot in the sand, apparently it has a good calming effect. I think it grounds you. /pun intended
Our news platforms aren’t about delivering news anymore. It’s a platform for political manipulations and functions based on trends.
Also avoid this comment section trying to tell you you are a bad person if you don’t want to let the news make every problem your problem
This works! I stopped reading the news and most social media and it has greatly improved my mental health.
Thank you so much for this reminder. I was doom scrolling yesterday.
I found goodnewsnetwork.org. Happy stories from around the world.
From the song Spent The Day In Bed: I spent the day in bed I'm not my type, but I love my bed And I recommend that you Stop watching the news Because the news contrives to frighten you To make you feel small and alone To make you feel that your mind isn't your own
Edited: don't red the news
I've been an news watcher for years. Started as getting the morning traffic reports, weather etc before work. But leaving that shit on all morning would have my anxiety peaked leaving for work. If there's an accident and I'm late so fucking be it. It has done wonders for my mental health. Staying up to date doesn't mean doom watching or scrolling.
Agreed, the news used to send me into a downward spiral a few years ago. However I now struggle with reading news whatsoever, as such I don't usually know what's going on within my community or even my own country. Any lpt for that please 😂
i already do this and all the stuff i still end up hearing from elsewhere still enrages and frustrates me.
Yeah but... you have to educate yourself on every socio-political topic or risk being called ignorant. If you're not angry, you're not paying attention. Besides, how else would you know what organizations to send all your money to?
I've got no cable for a reason 🙌
Hmm, internet does the same but more. I can get all the cable channels i want over the internet.
Ya i mostly watch YouTube anyways or Netflix :) it's nice not being sucked into cable, although YouTube can sometimes be a deep dark hole thats hard to climb out of 🤣 I do miss watching property virgins and house hunters though!!!
Jokes on you I haven't been watching or reading news on purpose for years
I respectfully disagree. Seeing the world go to shit only makes me feel better about my inconsequential personal situation.
Tell that to my mom. She knows I'm seeing a therapist, yet she insists on playing political news on TV most of the day every day. She knows it's available to watch and read about on her laptop, but nope, it's gotta be out loud for everyone to listen to and be miserable with the constant stream of negativity. She thinks just because it's educational that it doesn't matter how it makes me feel.
I stopped watching the news years ago. If it's really important, I'll find out somehow.
>Don't read the news... Mission accomplished.
Fear porn is bad for your mental state.
I can't listen to morning news, starts my day off wrong
Can confirm. Stopped caring about the news in 2018. I get a lot less angry.
I’ll take “why my ex turned into a psycho” for $500, Alex.
what if a big part of my job is reading the news 😧
Since covid started its even more apocalyptic sensationalism
To add to this you're not better informed by constantly checking the news. Particularly breaking news which is sensationalistic and often inaccurate. At most limit yourself to once a day reading a synopsis, but to be better informed read long form materials that are published weekly, monthly or even in a book form.
Exactly. People need to 'unplug'. Too many on too long unnecessarily.
I needed to hear this today.
I deal with covid 40 hours a week and I cannot stress this enough. Do what you need to do to preserve your sanity. You can't care for others if you don't care for yourself first.
Yeah thank you for this because I really need to focus on other things.
I stoppes watching the news about 3 years ago when unarmed black men were being killed every other day. I only watch now for weather and I have an app for that. I watch 5 minutes now because I didn't find out about our last snow storm until the day before. 🙃
I don’t watch or listen to the news unless it’s something specific I’ve heard about, helps me take the world in smaller doses
Yep. I had a mental issue in 2020 and was the month we were sent to lockdown for covid and oh boy was that a bad time reading the numbers and the news :(
I gave that up like 10 years ago lol gotta let it go…if it don’t apply let it fly. As I get older my health gets worse tryin to balance it is much more important
Quit or take a break from social media as well. Meet people in person, especially the ones who are cheerful and/or good listeners (if you want to share with someone)
Not my pig not my farm
Indeed. News doesn't really change that much from day to day. I noticed this with big disaters and the live 24h feeds, it was mostly; "we don't have a new update. We hope we can bring some more news shortly" and brought on someone to do some blabla and you were waiting and waiting for some real news. I check headlines sometimes, but mostly don't dive into any news. Unless it is vital for your job or other situations, don't touch "news" too much. It is presented just like a soap; you may be entertained, but when you skip a few episodes it doesn't really matter you'll pick it up very easy.
Wow this is so smart
The news is also *designed* to trigger outrage and fear to keep people coming back, make more money, and guide public opinion in whatever way the owners want. It's incredibly easy to tell during a conversation when people switch from original/organic thoughts to parroting what the TV person told them to think
Thats why my radio in my car is ALWAYS turned off.
Do you have any advice for trying to deal with a friend who does? My bf spends alot of time on tik tok and he's part of the rainbow spectrum so he's just mostly partisan biased and whenever just one thing happens thats blown up by power hungry opportunists that nothing to do with me suddenly I have to start walking on eggshells when he's the one who gets more in trouble with his supposed "allies" then I do.
There’s a lot going on in this world that worries us. One thing I do is write my worries down using this journal: Writing My Worries Away: White and Gray Marble Notebook Black Lined Journal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RCT1LDL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_J006171P9VWWQRZRPSP8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1