7 ms·

The news is meaningless distraction designed to trigger an emotional response in an effort to maximise engagement. Big events travel by word of mouth. I don’t

The news is meaningless distraction designed to trigger an emotional response in an effort to maximise engagement. Big events travel by word of mouth. I don’t need to actively be reading the news to find out about them. I’ll take blissful ignorance over living in a state of permanent anxiety. Fill your mind with ever changing news of little to no consequence and you’ll have no time left to do anything that might genuinely impact the world in a positive way. I don’t vote either.

mint2 3y ago
Reading news doesn’t have to make one anxious. There’s also countless times when lack of knowledge makes on life far harder than it needs to be. I doubt a mind will be changed by reading that warning. But one can try. And collective action by informed voters would quickly solve most major issues - but most Americans becoming well informed voters is an unrealistic expectation.
- saiya-jin 3y ago
  > Reading news doesn’t have to make one anxious. I disagree, unless its news ignoring world, politics, suffering and other aspects of mankind's daily grind. Especially if you are smart enough to realize what kind of shit show the human society in 2023 still is with no change in sight. Or what kind of people do get to real power in politics. Or how great the world would actually be if top 50 folks holding power would be sane balanced moral human beings, and what kind of shitbags they are instead. If it doesn't make you sad or pissed off at least a bit, you are already self-curating the news intensively to experience some alternate version of reality, or have some emotional intelligence issues.
- TimedToasts 3y ago
  > And collective action by informed voters would quickly solve most major issues - but most Americans becoming well informed voters is an unrealistic expectation. If all Americans had my education, they would think exactly like me.
Zetice 3y ago
Sure fine, whatever, but this is only possible because you rely on others to prop you up. Obviously this attitude and behavior wouldn't work at scale.
- JPws_Prntr_Fngr 3y ago
  It is working at scale. Would you seriously characterize the US voting populace as "well-informed" or "well-educated"? They don't need to be because they have no real power. And the mass-marketed "news" most of them watch is only reinforcing their ignorance.
  - Zetice 3y ago
    I wouldn't call this working, civil rights aren't doing as well as they were 10 years ago (just as one example). American society has taken multiple large steps backwards precisely because people have been convinced to vote against their own self interest.
    - geodel 3y ago
      This is purely your political opinion not some kind of fact like Ukraine war or a recent Nuclear fusion breakthrough etc.
      - Zetice 3y ago
        ...yes? Does me having an opinion about the state of my society as a result of following what happens in it bother you?
        nerdawson 3y ago
        Gay marriage became legal in all states in 2015. You’re presenting emotion as fact which is precisely what a lot of the news does too.
        3y ago
sobellian 3y ago
One can certainly consume news without entering a state of permanent anxiety. If one does, I think that suggests an independent condition rather than a problem with the news. A healthy stoicism does not demand ignorance.
- cwkoss 3y ago
  I think you either overestimate yourself or don't consume very much news.
  - sobellian 3y ago
    It is quite bizarre to be told by multiple commenters now that I really have entered a permanent state of anxiety and that I've just overestimated myself. Are you that confident that reading news inspires such a state in everyone? Personally I can't remember the last time I experienced anxiety reading the news - and I read an hour or two's worth daily. So I have trouble relating to those who do, but I don't insist that they must be "underestimating" themselves.
    - nerdawson 3y ago
      You spend up to 60 hours per month reading the news? Almost 4 days worth of waking hours dedicated to it? Is being “well informed” on current affairs worth that much?
      - sobellian 3y ago
        I enjoy reading.
      - mint2 3y ago
        People have to spend their time somehow - reading news seems likely more valuable than watching sports, arguing on the internet, gambling, watching cat videos, or playing cell phone games. All those are common time sinks for people. Seems odd to question the value of reading news, considering.
- 3y ago

mint2 3y ago

Reading news doesn’t have to make one anxious. There’s also countless times when lack of knowledge makes on life far harder than it needs to be. I doubt a mind will be changed by reading that warning. But one can try. And collective action by informed voters would quickly solve most major issues - but most Americans becoming well informed voters is an unrealistic expectation.

saiya-jin 3y ago
> Reading news doesn’t have to make one anxious. I disagree, unless its news ignoring world, politics, suffering and other aspects of mankind's daily grind. Especially if you are smart enough to realize what kind of shit show the human society in 2023 still is with no change in sight. Or what kind of people do get to real power in politics. Or how great the world would actually be if top 50 folks holding power would be sane balanced moral human beings, and what kind of shitbags they are instead. If it doesn't make you sad or pissed off at least a bit, you are already self-curating the news intensively to experience some alternate version of reality, or have some emotional intelligence issues.
TimedToasts 3y ago
> And collective action by informed voters would quickly solve most major issues - but most Americans becoming well informed voters is an unrealistic expectation. If all Americans had my education, they would think exactly like me.

Zetice 3y ago

Sure fine, whatever, but this is only possible because you rely on others to prop you up. Obviously this attitude and behavior wouldn't work at scale.

JPws_Prntr_Fngr 3y ago
It is working at scale. Would you seriously characterize the US voting populace as "well-informed" or "well-educated"? They don't need to be because they have no real power. And the mass-marketed "news" most of them watch is only reinforcing their ignorance.
- Zetice 3y ago
  I wouldn't call this working, civil rights aren't doing as well as they were 10 years ago (just as one example). American society has taken multiple large steps backwards precisely because people have been convinced to vote against their own self interest.
  - geodel 3y ago
    This is purely your political opinion not some kind of fact like Ukraine war or a recent Nuclear fusion breakthrough etc.
    - Zetice 3y ago
      ...yes? Does me having an opinion about the state of my society as a result of following what happens in it bother you?
      - nerdawson 3y ago
        Gay marriage became legal in all states in 2015. You’re presenting emotion as fact which is precisely what a lot of the news does too.
        3y ago

sobellian 3y ago

One can certainly consume news without entering a state of permanent anxiety. If one does, I think that suggests an independent condition rather than a problem with the news. A healthy stoicism does not demand ignorance.

cwkoss 3y ago
I think you either overestimate yourself or don't consume very much news.
- sobellian 3y ago
  It is quite bizarre to be told by multiple commenters now that I really have entered a permanent state of anxiety and that I've just overestimated myself. Are you that confident that reading news inspires such a state in everyone? Personally I can't remember the last time I experienced anxiety reading the news - and I read an hour or two's worth daily. So I have trouble relating to those who do, but I don't insist that they must be "underestimating" themselves.
  - nerdawson 3y ago
    You spend up to 60 hours per month reading the news? Almost 4 days worth of waking hours dedicated to it? Is being “well informed” on current affairs worth that much?
    - sobellian 3y ago
      I enjoy reading.
    - mint2 3y ago
      People have to spend their time somehow - reading news seems likely more valuable than watching sports, arguing on the internet, gambling, watching cat videos, or playing cell phone games. All those are common time sinks for people. Seems odd to question the value of reading news, considering.
3y ago