Must read ALL the news

[eleneariel]

I heard a little NPR blurb advertising their morning news show ... "We'll catch you up on everything that happened while you were asleep!" It made me wonder when this idea started that we have some sort of an obligation to keep informed and appraised of so much. 

I like news. I like information. And I think it's good to be interested in more than just your local happenings - keeping an eye on national and international stories gives a sense of perspective.  But their innocent little promo made me realize that underneath my interest and enjoyment, I do feel like I'm "supposed" to keep up, and an underlying and subtle sense of panic if I don't.* I go to sleep listening to the BBC. I wake up to more international news. I check google reader and twitter and news sites throughout the day. Sometimes I listen to Deutsche Welle radio in the evening. I catch talk radio whenever I can, read newspapers, read magazines, read anything and everything interesting that I find online, read books on all kinds of subjects. If I can't do these things for whatever reason, I feel like I'm falling behind - like I have to catch up.

In conclusion, to myself: Self, it is good to be informed. But stop this senseless feeling of obligation.


*on the other hand, I feel panic about a lot of things, mostly variations on "must do ALL the things during my lifetime."

Comments

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Great thoughts... I relate so much!! Information overload.

[mrsm2010.livejournal.com]

Yes, all very good thoughts!

[thinkinthots.livejournal.com]

:)

You know what? When I come here on LJ I am always inspired to write about something you or someone else have said, but never have the time. And I hate to do it in a comment, because it just doesn't seem right. :)

Anyway, in a big nutshell: I hardly keep informed. 7 years ago I would have been so ashamed of myself, thinking I was an ostrich burying my head in the sand, which is hardly the case. :) I think people (probably mostly my in-laws) think I don't care or I'm scared to know what's going on. Definitely not the case, but maybe someday I'll share my reasons for not staying tuned in 24/7.

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

I don't judge anyone for choosing not to keep up with the news. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/patrick___/]

Good points there Marie! I totally know what you're talking about. It's good to be informed, but there's also more important things out there too.

report from West Flemish coast

[mewsing.livejournal.com]

Not much happened today.

The sun was shiny. Nice and bright and shiny.

The sky was a purty shade of blue that morphed into this later on:

Re: report from West Flemish coast

[butterbobbin.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, gorgeous.

Also, <3 your userpic.

Re: report from West Flemish coast

[mewsing.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ^.^

Re: report from West Flemish coast

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

I got distracted and never thanked you for the report from the West Flemish Coast. Bad llama. I feel much more at ease knowing that your sun was shiny, your sky blue (and orange and red), and that all is well. :)

Re: report from West Flemish coast

[mewsing.livejournal.com]

Ohai! You're welcome! :)

[butterbobbin.livejournal.com]

I'm just the opposite. If I can avoid hearing/seeing the news, I do. It is, to me, just about the most boring thing in the world.

I figure I can count on my friends on FB or elsewhere to alert me if, say, there is an earthquake in Japan or someone is sabotaging US landmarks.

Some people take issue with this and think I have a don't-care attitude, I'm sure, but that's not it at all. I care very deeply when people are hurting - but I have too much of my own personal stress to try to take on the daily news.

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

I don't judge anyone for choosing not to keep up on news. It's so often depressing and anxiety-causing ... especially if approached with the wrong attitude, which is so easy to do. =P

I promise, however, to keep you informed of any sabotaging of landmarks. :D

[jmcphers.livejournal.com]

Stick "Entertaining Ourselves to Death" in your queue of books to read. The author argues that what we think of as news is, in the form in which it is typically delivered, irrelevant entertainment. It's a little shocking but he has some good points and it balances the current culture's must-be-up-to-the-minute-informed-on-happenings-on-the-other-side-of-the-world perspective.

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

Is it anything like Amusing Ourselves to Death? Even though that one was written, gosh, over 20 years ago, it had so much of relevance.

[jkgeroo.livejournal.com]

You listen to DW! <3

:D

(I do happen to love international news. Less American propaganda to muck through.)