Toxic news

[alicambs]

I'm doing an on line Ethics course as part of my professional maintenance of competency and training. The course is quite interesting and varied consisting less of tuition and more throwing a variety of ethical questions at us and making proposals we need to respond to. Some are easier than others unsurprisingly, while others make you think outside

Comments

[caffyolay]

What an interesting thought. I totally agree with everything you said re: modern news reporting. That thing where they don't let people answer the question before butting in drives me nuts. It'll be interesting to see how you get on.

[alicambs]

I'm going to try, but it will mean changing some pretty ingrained habits, and we all know how difficult that is!

[allmysins]

I don't read, watch or listen to the news.

[alicambs]

Do you find that you imbibe it some other way? Was it something yo decided upon because of reasons given in the article (if you've read it) or becasue you found much news banal?

[allmysins]

If the topic is controversial or otherwise horrifying/uplifting, I hear it through word of mouth and at that point may choose to research a topic on my own.

I don't watch the news because it's the same thing day after day. Humanity is either fucked or they're doing a fluff piece on kittens. And because I find the things people do to one another incredibly distressing. I don't need to be bombarded with the scrum of the earth morning noon and night. I think I'm happier this way. Ignorance is bliss.

[alicambs]

Ignorance is bliss.

Well it is on certain subjects definitely!

[byslantedlight]

Oh my word, I'm so channelling you - I was thinking about exactly this as I was driving today! I flicked on the car radio, thinking that it was so nice on holiday not to hear all the depressing news all the time (railing at TNT and UKIP) and thought that maybe I'd purposefully stop listening/reading it on a regular basis! I just end up getting cross about what people do to each other, and totally fed up... As you say, whether it's really possible I don't know - but I'm liking the idea right now!

[alicambs]

Go for it. Just last night I was being told about UKIP and its success by some friends so it's not that you'll move around in a bubble of isolation. :-)

[vilakins]

I've avoided the news (which I named wrist-slitting time as a teenager) for pretty much all my life, and I'm so much happier for it. After all, if I can't do anything to change the largely negative stuff it;s about, what's the point? Sometimes some appalling tragedy gets through and upsets me (often a sight more than "upset").

[alicambs]

After all, if I can't do anything to change the largely negative stuff it;s about, what's the point?

Very true.

I've watched, read and listened to the news because I've always thought it was necessary to keep myself informed and up to-date, this will take some rethinking and involve quite a shift in perception if I take it beyond a week!

[vilakins]

I do follow issues that interest and affect me like the upcoming election, alternative energy sources etc, but I can do that without seeing or hearing about personal tragedies, cruelty, and idiocy that make me see red (e.g. UKIP which still filtered through). I'm happier without the misery, though things I can't avoid will still get to me.

But that's just me. Most people seem to be tougher and more resilient, so if it doesn't bother you, don't worry about it!

[haldoor]

Excellent thing to try! I rarely watch the TV news, and only skim the newspaper headlines for stories I find of interest, in the main. I like the 5 min news on the radio station ONCE in a day; I find that's plenty to be going on with.

One of my favourite quotes is 'I get all the news I need from the weather report' (Simon & Garfunkel)

[alicambs]

Ha! Great quote, I must remember that.

I'll try and restrict myself to 5 mins - I think going cold turkey might be a bit hard