[Vic&Judy]

I'm curious......

In my never-ending quest to feel positive and optimistic in this multi-ring circus of a world, I find militating against the sunshine is the news, both print and electronic, but mostly electronic via the TV.

Instead of the episodic reports of my youth, primarily confined to 6:00 or 10:00 pm, now we are offered round-the-clock news on the likes of CNN, Fox, MSNBC etc. and it's never good. Mideast crises, urban riots, brutal brinksmanship all over the world.....and sadness.....lots of sadness. I want to avoid it, but it's kind of like the auto accident you don't want to look at, but find you can't avoid.

How do you deal with it?? Do you strictly limit your exposure to the news? Do you avoid it completely? Do you meditate? Immerse yourself in the plethora of activities the Villages has to offer? Happy Hour?? What?

For those who are admitted news junkies, do you find a strange thrill when you hear chimes and see the words "Breaking News" on your screen? Is news always running in the background?

The approach/avoidance conflict is tormenting me.

[NoMoSno]

Originally Posted by Vic&Judy

How do you deal with it?

[folkh]

Originally Posted by NoMoSno

[pooh]

Shutting off the news is the best way for me. I'll watch the local news and that's about it. Will check my online home page every once in a while throughout the day to see if something has happened that I need to know about. If Breaking News has some impact on our lives, I'll turn to a media channel....otherwise, TV stays off of those channels.
There is lots of pain, fear, heartbreak on the news and we now have the ability to know about it day and night. Always was and probably always will be, bad events taking place all over planet earth. Being exposed to it 24/7 won't do anything to improve the situation.

[ugotme]

Personally, I go through short periods where I don't even read the paper. Yes, I am not "Up on things," but as you stated everything is bad.

About the only news I watch then is the local news at 11:00 pm.

And that isn't much better. Mostly watch it for the weather and sports.

[Ruthtomnorma3]

Originally Posted by NoMoSno

We watch Diane Sawyer ,local home news on the iPad ,national programs on the week end...
Have learned to disregard local ....surely those TV Reporters have STRESS RELIEF 101 class every week...what a depressing job!

If there is something really, really important I know my family will contact us.

There are so many wonderful support groups we can support for the most repetitive human needs.....food, clothing and shelter.

[Rags123]

Originally Posted by Vic&Judy

I'm curious......

In my never-ending quest to feel positive and optimistic in this multi-ring circus of a world, I find militating against the sunshine is the news, both print and electronic, but mostly electronic via the TV.

Instead of the episodic reports of my youth, primarily confined to 6:00 or 10:00 pm, now we are offered round-the-clock news on the likes of CNN, Fox, MSNBC etc. and it's never good. Mideast crises, urban riots, brutal brinksmanship all over the world.....and sadness.....lots of sadness. I want to avoid it, but it's kind of like the auto accident you don't want to look at, but find you can't avoid.

How do you deal with it?? Do you strictly limit your exposure to the news? Do you avoid it completely? Do you meditate? Immerse yourself in the plethora of activities the Villages has to offer? Happy Hour?? What?

For those who are admitted news junkies, do you find a strange thrill when you hear chimes and see the words "Breaking News" on your screen? Is news always running in the background?

The approach/avoidance conflict is tormenting me.

I find television mostly distorts everything, basically by omission and reporting out of context.

Only solution I have found is READ....and make sure you read "both sides of the story". The networks are not worth it if you truly want to know what is happening.

This does keep you up to date..not as easy as having some tell you what to think but certainly more fulfilling. It also, at times, will point to historical reading to add to the background.

[swrinfla]

Vic&Judy:

I used to watch the late news every night. As it became less and less informative, except about local murder, muggings and mayhem, seldom telling about anything positive, I almost gave up. I don't even tune in to the Big Stations, preferring PBS's low-key offerings. And, the best part is that the talking heads don't yell and scream at each other!

On Sundays I often watch Face the Nation, once again because those who face Bob Schieffer are polite, knowledgeable and respectful of each other!

SWR


P.S.: I'm inclined to agree with pooh!

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by swrinfla

Vic&Judy:

I used to watch the late news every night. As it became less and less informative, except about local murder, muggings and mayhem, seldom telling about anything positive, I almost gave up. I don't even tune in to the Big Stations, preferring PBS's low-key offerings. And, the best part is that the talking heads don't yell and scream at each other!

On Sundays I often watch Face the Nation, once again because those who face Bob Schieffer are polite, knowledgeable and respectful of each other!

SWR



P.S.: I'm inclined to agree with pooh!

I so agree with you. And pooh.

[Bonanza]

I know someone who never watches the news, never reads the front page of the newspaper, only watches shows like The Kardashians, Wheel of Fortune, and "happiness" types of movies, only listens to rock music on the radio and reads romance novels only. She votes but I have no idea upon what she bases that vote.

This past year she saw a pull-out trash drawer in someone's kitchen. She had never seen one before and thought it was the greatest thing since Dixie Cups. This woman seemingly has no worries but also doesn't have a clue about anything. She cannot partake in any kind of conversation that takes an iota of brain power.

What I'm getting at is that you can live inside the box and be very happy that you don't know what's really happening in this world. Of course, you could never be included in any type of intelligent conversation. The alternative is to be at least somewhat informed, but have some enjoyable activities to releave your stress.

If you can't deal with the news which as the saying goes, "No news is good news," then simply don't watch it. If you feel you must watch it and get too upset, then you may need professional help.

Hopefully, you will be able to come to a happy medium.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by swrinfla

Vic&Judy:

I used to watch the late news every night. As it became less and less informative, except about local murder, muggings and mayhem, seldom telling about anything positive, I almost gave up. I don't even tune in to the Big Stations, preferring PBS's low-key offerings. And, the best part is that the talking heads don't yell and scream at each other!

On Sundays I often watch Face the Nation, once again because those who face Bob Schieffer are polite, knowledgeable and respectful of each other!

SWR


P.S.: I'm inclined to agree with pooh!

I ALWAYS agree with you and Pooh and CFrance. ALWAYS. You were all blessed with intelligence and have good common sense as well as good manners and diplomacy, and if I need someone to bounce something off of, I know I can trust your judgment.....and honesty..

[sunnyatlast]

The 24-hour news networks are 5% objective news reporting, and 95% opinion.

I read the local newspapers online of the headline stories t.v. and radio are reporting, to hear what people who actually live there report.

For international news there are many domestic and foreign newspaper sites. I read several accounts of the same story, to compare the facts and weed out the "narrative" web being spun to prop up the media's anointed players in the political game.

[Rags123]

To those who say they do not watch or read about the current news stories, I simply remind you that many groups and individuals rely on you being uninformed.

Todays world, more than ever is complicated, and it is not easy to "work" at getting the real story without the BS spin, but it can be done.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by Rags123

To those who say they do not watch or read about the current news stories, I simply remind you that many groups and individuals rely on you being uninformed.

Todays world, more than ever is complicated, and it is not easy to "work" at getting the real story without the BS spin, but it can be done.

Even though I have disagreed many times with this poster, he is absolutely right in what he says in this post.

No one can be an ostrich pretending not to notice what is happening locally, nationally or internationally. Seek out all the news sources you can and use reasoning to get the whole story without relying on only one or two sources.

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Even though I have disagreed many times with this poster, he is absolutely right in what he says in this post.

No one can be an ostrich pretending not to notice what is happening locally, nationally or internationally. Seek out all the news sources you can and use reasoning to get the whole story without relying on only one or two sources.

AMEN to both Rags123 and buggyone. Freedom comes with responsibility and one of the biggest responsibilities we citizens have is to become educated and informed.

Dictatorships and totalitarian regimes feed on an ignorant populace.