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Boycott the news, for a better you.

^ My apparently scandalous "assumption" was actually based on the fact that almost everyone used the word... and get this! "watch"... to describe how they consume news. But it's ok, I know you've been itching to call me "arrogant" for a while. I hope you feel better now.
 
double ewe said:
isn't it kind of arrogant to assume that those who disagree with you do so only because they are consuming inferior information?
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I don't understand how it can be any other way. True journalism is what becomes respected history after the benefit of hindsight. Finding the best possible news source to understand the greater world existing beyond your limited capacity to manipulate it, because it is the action of the aggregate of nations is the best way to truly understand the world that humans have created.

As an example, consider an amateur astronomer. If this astronomer were to get their sources of experimental research information from conspiracy sites, then they would possibly inevitably be looking for Planet-X, which they believe is due to destroy the Earth by 2012. Or they may be jarred by the inundating amount of frightful information regarding the destruction of the human species from an impossibly large amount of possible armageddons. Or, they could be guided by actual scientists who have devoted several decades of research to the field, and are far better sources of knowledge. Generally, this information is devoid of looking for armageddon, and is instead focusing on unbiased, empirical research of the cosmos.

Now, apply the above example to the field of journalism, and you'll get the idea.
 
Jamshyd said:
^ My apparently scandalous "assumption" was actually based on the fact that almost everyone used the word... and get this! "watch"... to describe how they consume news. But it's ok, I know you've been itching to call me "arrogant" for a while. I hope you feel better now.
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Changed said:
I haven't read/listened to/seen a single piece of news in exactly one month.
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addictivepersona said:
the only news I've read in the past month or so has been a couple threads on here
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double ewe said:
i read the news fairly regularly
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so your "everyone" becomes "almost everyone" and, still refusing to admit a mistake, you follow with another assumption and a personal attack.
 
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double ewe said:
so your "everyone" becomes "almost everyone" and, still refusing to admit a mistake, you follow with another assumption and a personal attack.
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Ah, so now the actual mistake is that I used the word "everyone"? Do you want me to apologize for, *cough* assuming *cough* that you're intelligent enough to pick up a hyperbole? Ok, I apologize. Do you feel better now?

And please, use the quote function like you so masterfully have in your previous post to show me exactly where I have apparently launched a "personal attack"?
 
Jamshyd said:
Well I'm still going to insist on at least one point: that Watched news and Read news are so different that they cannot be lumped into one category.

Watched news is a PASSIVE process.

Read news is an ACTIVE process.
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Wow, you made a really good point!

Recently, I've taken to reading news on fruits/vegetables/health in general. That's the only news I've consumed aside from what I hear on my grandma's police scanner, haha.
 
It's hard for me to strike a balance. I've been a journalism/media student since I was 16 and spent a bunch of years focused on the media and dissecting it. So over the years it's not just news but the whole formula and delivery that interests me. I love how two sources can draw completely different inferences from the same story (and sometimes it's maddening). At the same time the news can be quite depressing....especially the lack of any constructive work or progress in the senate/congress. Not to get off topic but fuck these guys don't do anything but draw their line in the sand and refuse to even debate!

So I can't help but be interested in what's going on around the world but looking back on my life, the best years of my life I was consuming little to no news media. Boycotting the news really isn't an option for me because I'd like to work in that field. For me the most crucial part is knowing when to let go of the most recent bullshit so I can still be informed without letting it consume me.

Consume the news don't let it consume you.
 
O-M-G!!!

i think thats an excellent idea...

i have quit weed recently and got a lot of spare time so have been trawling a lot of news sites, no wonder i get pissed off!!!!
 
OT@dankstersauce: ^When I lived in the US my American History teacher told us the Spartans did just that, there was some kind of voting council or congress (don't remember) and they would never debate. Debating was thought to be a weakness. And they got rich of robbing and exploiting people.

On topic: It seems to me there is a big cycle of negativity in news media in general. It is true that there are news sources that are still quality. The fact though is, that almost every journalist follows a lot of news sources because it is required for their job to stay on top. This makes said journalists more pessimistic, polarized and angry whether they like it or not. I've studied journalism for a year and it made me a lot more cynical for sure. I really don't care anymore about Palestine, Darfur and Pakistan. It's too much and I've got problems of my own.
 
Changed said:
It isn't that we're consuming the wrong news, it's that we're consuming any news at all. The root of the problem is the concept itself, not the sourcing of the commodity.

News is used to propagate the false notion that human beings are really important down here on this circular thing and everyone has to know it!
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This is a very powerful post.

You know what? I'm going to take you up on that offer. Granted, there isn't much marketing or news around me, but I won't pick up the paper in the morning to read the police reports or grab an ad just to see "what's on sale this week". You're right, it's all commodity.

To those who do not associate with these commodities, from outside of the box, it's really a laughingstock. You almost come to wish these people would join you and be at ease with the world instead of thinking everything's going to the shitter.

Reminds me of "Imagine" by A Perfect Circle.
 
Simply_Live said:
This is a very powerful post.

You know what? I'm going to take you up on that offer. Granted, there isn't much marketing or news around me, but I won't pick up the paper in the morning to read the police reports or grab an ad just to see "what's on sale this week". You're right, it's all commodity.

To those who do not associate with these commodities, from outside of the box, it's really a laughingstock. You almost come to wish these people would join you and be at ease with the world instead of thinking everything's going to the shitter.

Reminds me of "Imagine" by A Perfect Circle.
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by APC?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoC86l3SQL4
 
The actions I must take to achieve my personal goals do not depend on the information typically relayed in newspapers or news magazines. Therefore, it would be inefficient to spend my time consuming such information.

I, too, "boycott" the news.
 
Changed said:
by APC?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoC86l3SQL4
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Ah. Well, I knew it by APC. I'm sorry for not being older! The Beatles were mostly dead by the time I was born. And I know it's by John Lennon, but still. Beyond my time.

By the way, I still like the APC version better. Much easier for me to hear. John Lennon's version is nice, but it's too soft for these ears.
 
Simply_Live said:
Ah. Well, I knew it by APC. I'm sorry for not being older! The Beatles were mostly dead by the time I was born. And I know it's by John Lennon, but still. Beyond my time.

By the way, I still like the APC version better. Much easier for me to hear. John Lennon's version is nice, but it's too soft for these ears.
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Right, I'm 24, but I thought maybe you didn't even know about the Lennon version ;)

It's funny how the same song can produce two distinct messages when performed by two very different people... Maybe if Hitler was reading the news, instead of *insert attractive female newscaster here*, people would be less apt to consume it?
 
Changed said:
Right, I'm 24, but I thought maybe you didn't even know about the Lennon version ;)

It's funny how the same song can produce two distinct messages when performed by two very different people... Maybe if Hitler was reading the news, instead of *insert attractive female newscaster here*, people would be less apt to consume it?
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I suppose we'll never know!

Although I have to say, I'm not at all upset by not hearing Hitler's take on the news!
 
Yeah man! It feels good.

Been doing this for about 3/4 years now.

I feel like I'm still mostly up to date with current events though - obviously I miss a whole bunch, but I guess that shows you just how affected we are as a western civilization by things happening in the middle east (or wherever) - we're not really.

Which says more about our culture than theirs - our media seems to focus on the shit things happening in the world, which gets us down, because we want to believe the fact we live in a beautiful world, and war, famine, flood, earthquake, rape, murder, protest constantly in our face destroys morale.
 
Totally avoided T.V over xmas & new years, it was bliss -- what i apparently missed on the news? women murdered, chaos in airports, child mauled by dog; why does anybody want to be updated on these horrors?????
 
Changed said:
Feeling anxious, depressed, lost in an ever churning sea of negativity and despair? Do what I did: quit consuming the news!

I haven't read/listened to/seen a single piece of news in exactly one month. I deleted every link on my computer that pointed to CNN, NYTimes, BBC, etc... I don't own a TV, so that was easy... I turn the radio off every time it switches to the news (which isn't often considering it is NPR classical 99% of the time). Since removing the news from my life, I feel better, sleep better, and even look better. I have no idea what has happened in the past month, and I love it!

Consider this: when is the last time you consumed the news and felt really good about what you heard/saw/read? All I remember seeing was death-tolls in Iraq, news about gunmen at universities and high schools killing dozens, economic reports predicting doom and gloom, and earthquakes and hurricanes displacing millions. Never once did I feel good about what I'd just consumed... Why on earth would you want to know these things?!

Is anybody with me?
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Yes this pretty much sums up how I feel about mainstream news, its all crap.

Television, spreading darkness at the speed of light.
 
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