I don't watch the news. Is there something wrong with me?

[Mr Rayon]

Every time I turn on the television something horrible happens some far away country.

 

I was just thinking, is there much benefit that watching the news does?

 

Does it do more harm than good?

 

e.g. desensitizes people to terrorism and other atrocities

 

I have given up watching the news for a few years now and feel happier.

 

A lot of people don't have any good reason to watch the news but like to watch television as their form of entertainment.

 

It is like participating in the Gladiator battles in Romes many centuries ago.

 

My question, is it ethical to watch the news today and do nothing?

 

I choose to not watch the news but for those that do what's your reason for watching the news and do you try and put any effort to make the world a better place (e.g. recycling through the media's frenzy that global warming is legit etc.)? Do you still drive your car?

[studiot]

 

I don't watch the news. Is there something wrong with me?

 

 

Yes you are probably much happier than any citizen has any right to be.

 

I will dispatch the thought police immediately.

 

 

[iNow]

It depends. Some people feel more secure when they are more informed and aware. Others earn their livelihoods by knowing what's happening in the world. Knowing what's happening might help you make better decisions or have an easier time interacting with peers in social situations. It may help you have a more complete view and avoid certain mistakes. It also depends on the news source and the credibility of who's delivering it and whether it's intended to inform or manipulate, also it depends on subject of the information being shared.

 

That said, it's entirely possible there's something wrong with you, but deciding that you'd prefer not to watch the news likely isn't one of them.

[Phi for All]

Being desensitized by immersion is certainly a danger, but one you can be aware of and do something about. And I think it's worth the risk. To me, knowledge reduces the kind of fear born of imagination, the kind where we make decisions about things without really knowing anything much about them. I think there are a lot of folks out there who are scared of what they don't understand, and rather than ignore or even invent problems, they should be educating themselves about the things they fear, see them for what they really are before making decisions about them.

 

Also, let's face it, being informed about your community and country makes you a better citizen. It would be nice to have a government TV program that informed the public as its priority, rather than making a profit.

[Velocity_Boy]

No, there is nothing wrong with you at all. I am much the same way.

 

I very rarely watch the news. Only rarely, like when there is a big story breaking. Or a death of a celeb, like we has last week with Prince. Otherwise I get my news on my online feeds when I want to. And I DO keep up on sports news, being a huge NBA and NFL and NHL junkie.

 

But world news? National and even local evening news? No thanks. It's depressing.

 

I often feel after a rare viewing of the news that maybe the religious zealots are right...The End Times are upon us!

 

LOL.

 

Look...this country was sold down the tubes a long time ago. It IS an Plutocracy, people. The Shotgun Sings the Song. (with due credit to Roger Daltrey!).

 

Meet the New Boss.

 

Same as Da Old Boss.

 

America is turning into a Police State. Unbridled.

 

Big Brother is here. To stay.

 

The Entitlement Mentality of the Country has grown to Absurd Proportions.

 

We are overrun with fugitive criminals who are euphemistically referred to by the Libtard Media as Illegal Aliens.

 

Damn...I was hoping this thread wouldn't get me started!

 

LOL. Oops. Sorry.

 

But NO! You are not alone, my friend. The News just plain old-fashioned sucks.

[OldChemE]

My wife an I do not permit news programs in our home (and we never have done so). Way too much sensationalism and depressing. Instead, we read. We wait awhile for the news to make it into print-- which usually allows for the really important stuff to rise to the surface.

[dimreepr]

I think the more pertinent question would be, what is news?

Not just pertinent but worthy of it's own topic.

 

http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/102367-what-is-news/

[Strange]

We are overrun with fugitive criminals

 

 

Only if you believe The Donald and idiotic news outlets.

 

 

 

who are euphemistically referred to by the Libtard Media as Illegal Aliens.

 

Odd. I thought it was the right wing press who liked to refer to all migrants (whether legal or not, whether fleeing war or just along for the ride) as "illegals".

[MonDie]

I can think of two functions of the news: keeping everyone on the same page in political discussions, and mobilizing an immediate response to recent events. The problem is that news programs are, and will always be, shallow at best and biased at worst. IMO most viewers will lack sufficient background knowledge about any particular topic to even notice the bias or to make use of what they've learned.

edit

 

Given that politics is frequently discussed on the news, I suppose that people interested in politics will have more background information. In that context, the news could be seen as facilitating information about politics, which is arguably an important subject matter to all.

Edited January 15, 2017 by MonDie

[iNow]

It's harder to be fooled or taken advantage of when you're actively informed and involved

[Ophiolite]

I rarely watch the news in time of economic stress. (The last nine years have been a bit of a bummer.)

 

At all times I am more in line with OldChemE's thinking: acquire ones information after sufficient time has elapsed for in-depth analysis to have begun. If I am in a News watching decade I shall use what I see to give me a heads up on what to learn more about. The rest of the time I rely on the BBC web pages.