Not knowing what’s going on in the world is not an option
but watching the news feels more like a daily downer.
It doesn’t inform but gives us another talk show we never asked for.
To sail around all the negativity, to sort out the information and
to read between the lines is a start
coming to our own conclusion, while reading and thinking on our own
without manipulations from anybody.
Facts, not fiction. Sentences not headlines.
A mass shooting, natural catastrophes, another shooting,
interrupted by some wars, a famous death or two
a politician benched in courtrooms, rulers who can’t govern
governments who can’t get the rules straight.
I walked away from listening, tuned out for good
turned it all off, the world around me got silent
I could hear again, but I missed being informed.
Not wanting to know, perhaps our biggest sin
choosing to look away as a form of self-preservation
to keep our sanity.
To be informed, but not to get sucked in
that’s a secret we learned but forgot all about it.
You read it in the morning.
You sit above all, like a hawk eyeing the field
finding a mouse.
A mouse, not a dozen, not hundreds.
Perhaps moderation is the key after all
When I watch the news on TV, I usually feel sick – sometimes literally, so I rarely do it anymore. Reading a daily summary (without the dramatic TV news music) lets me choose what to read more about at my own pace. It helps me be informed with less toxicity.
There is nothing wrong with feeling sick to our stomach, because it shows us that we are still normal human beings and we react the way we were brought up.
We just shouldn’t allow it to stay with us.
Moderation is definitely key. When wars and shootings get me down I tend to focus more on the local newspaper about my little “safe” corner of the world. But I can’t go without national or world news very long. I think that comes from a mom who was in love with CNN in its beginning… news 24/7.
I was in love with CNN at the beginning too, before it became an entertainment show.
Nice
The hawk/mouse imagery s very good
I thought so.
Wow. Amazing დ
Thank you, cindy
It is depressing as hell, but I cannot look away. I want to know what’s going on in the world, but it is exhausting.
I don’t watch the news any longer. Instead I read the news, and yes, it takes a lot of navigating to get to the real story these days. It’s discouraging how polarized everything has become.
I do too. I have a ‘reading routine’ in the morning, from Middle East to Europe and back to the US 🙂
There ya go.
I take “mini breaks” once in a while, but I find it is important to do what I can to stay informed for many reasons. It’s true that we have to be vigilant in discerning the facts of all news reports and to recognize that not all sources are sound or credible. I think you captured the complexities of the issue very well in what you’ve so beautifully shared, Bridget. I am in agreement with you not his, my friend.
I recently signed up for YouTube life tv streaming, because cable is not offered anymore where we live, and after shopping around it was the only option I found where I could get BBC word news and we now watch it in the evening. It’s mind blowing to see how much info we don’t get and in the regular news channels here in the US.
I read the news rather than listening to it. It’s quieter 🙂
I like BBC and also the PBS News Hour…I learn about the rest of the world, which is hardly ever covered in our network news. Here in the Los Angeles market we have an incredibly amount of entertainment “news” and yet we won’t hear about a famine or disaster in another country. We really do have to be responsible for our own intake!
I love PBS and BBC News is a must in the evenings, which I record sometimes and watch in the morning. Every Saturday I turn my TV in my workroom to BBC and learn more about our planet and its inhabitants. I might be David Attenborough’s biggest fan.
Daily downer lol, sadly this is the only thing I can find humor in. The rest of this post is to the point and a true view of the sad state of affairs this world has ventured into.
It’s true, it’s the daily downer and it never disappoints. I read somewhere that we now at any given day get more news information than our grandparents had in their lifetime. It’s pretty sad if you think about it. I often wonder if my head will explode. I don’t think any of us can adjust or digest all the info we get.
We absolutely must keep ourselves informed. The problem we all have now is just what is fact, what is fiction, what is biased opinion, what is downright lies, and what is propaganda? It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish, even from sources that we once had complete confidence in.
I hear you on the constant death and destruction news cycle. So many “News” channels are just opinion channels and I do not need to listen to the talking heads for hours on the minutiae of a subject. Cut to the chase and summarize Who, What, Where, When Why. Don’t even get me started on the click bait and algorithms of the E-news world. We must stay informed and we must hear more than one viewpoint and then make up our own minds. Have a great day. Allan
I still remain tuned out, no thanks, politics.
News is not just politics. Not watching the news means you miss a lot. Perhaps the death of a famous person like Nelson Mandela or a singer/actor you always loved.
Not watching the news means you won’t hear about catastrophes and disasters and you won’t know that your help, may it be money or volunteer work, is needed.
Ignoring the news just puts another wall between you and the rest of the world. It won’t make you happier. It will isolate you.
I understand where you are coming from and I feel the same way. However I cannot afford to be uninformed. If I don’t watch out, they might cut all out women’s rights back to zero.
I read the news and watch in the evening BBC word news, because the rest of the word is actually very interesting.
I didn’t mean it as a lecture or as critic. I just shared my opinion.
Your opinion is fine, no worries. I do pick up bits of news as I surf the web, just enough to know that this upcoming election could trigger some very bad things to happen. America is in dire straights.