The internet changed from an informational "push" method to making it possible and easy to "pull" "just" the information a person is interested in. Similar to

The internet changed from an informational "push" method to making it possible and easy to "pull" "just" the information a person is interested in. Similar to others, I stopped watching the news 10 years ago. Yes, fatal car accidents and scary robberies are unfortunate and tragic but also fairly rare. The worry the news causes is irrational. The news would just stir up FUD and stress, because under FUD people are less likely to think and more likely to follow commands, even "benign" ones and subtle hints like "buy this toothpaste to have a 'socially' acceptable white smile". It's not a social standard, it's a company forcing their standard on the public to make it a social and peer force because the company stands to benefit from it. I feel less compelled to go to a store and buy new electronics and gadgets and a plethora of other things. I spend less time chasing the things TV and media attempts to tell us all to obtain.