Stacy Jensen Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 4 hours ago, Pop Life said: Is the constant feed of negativity affecting anyone else? I know I can't speak for everyone, but living in the US, I've felt on edge for several years now. Every time there's a new story about police brutality or mass shootings or the rise in anti-lgbt rhetoric I feel almost personally threatened. Stories coming from the international front aren't any better. Every few weeks I hear about somewhere that's embroiled in war or regressing on human rights and always in the background is the looming threat of economic collapse. I know at least part of this sensationalism is because the media increasingly relies on outrage to drive engagement, but this constant state of fear can't be healthy regardless of the cause. Were we happier back when we knew less? I used to pride myself on always staying on top of current events, debating the issues and protesting where I could, but now I just feel burnt out. 100%. I don’t pay attention anymore and I enjoy life so much more. The media is fueled by division and I’m not interested in participating in outrage culture.
BGKC Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 (edited) 2020 was enough for me to tune MSM tf out (though it can still be inescapable as long as your on social media) It’s mostly just fabrications and fear mongering smothered in propaganda. I just subscribe to independent journalism with (mostly) unbiased reporting. Edited May 31, 2023 by BGKC
TheCheshireCat Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 honestly tho. It feels like the pendulum is swinging back in the wrong direction for LGBT folks to the point I’ve been muting gay buzzwords to stop seeing the negativity every time I open social media
Trent W Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 26 minutes ago, UnfairTop said: How does one avoid news... I'd love to try it Unfollow all the media sites on twitter, if you have facebook do the same. Instagram and tik tok are less news-like but depends on the algorithm Unless you have the habit of watching cable tv I don’t think you can have a hard time. I just see news sometimes once a week. But that’s when I’m curious about some topic. I had anxiety when I was getting bombarded with them in social media all the time.
kandicha Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 yeah i used to be addicted to scrolling through twitter and knowing all the news but now i only pay attention to whatever is most important (important enough to end up on here on reddit or for a friend or family member to tell me lol) and it's definitely been better for my mental health. i don't think human brains are wired to handle all the negativity of the 24 hour news cycle tbh, we weren't meant to know everything bad happening everywhere in the world at all times.
Beyonnaise Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 (edited) Yeah and I increasingly don’t care what people have to say about it. I stay tuned into the news enough to know what’s going on and I’m politically engaged enough to know that I will continue voting on progressive policies. But keeping up with the latest back and forth culture war bulls**t is just not productive for my well-being. I feel so much happier not addicted to the 24 hour outrage cycle. Edited May 31, 2023 by Beyonnaise
popularmoonlight Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 I've stopped checking for news actively 2/3 years ago. I still know about stuff but I simply don't watch News TV anymore. It's so depressing and only negative stuff
fountain Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 I think there’s a balancing act to be played. It’s good to stay informed - particularly about important and significant news topics - but all of the petty hate fuelled rhetoric that has infiltrated the realm of “news” can definitely be avoided or, at the very least, acknowledged yet understood to be something that should be kept on the peripheral of your personal life (for our own mental well-being). Rather than be totally ignorant or news obsessed, there can hopefully be a healthy middle ground.
Last Boy on Earth Posted May 31, 2023 Posted May 31, 2023 (edited) This thread is funny because just today I was silencing every political news/newspaper/account on social media. I was already doing this while I was working but now I’m taking a break until the end of the summer and caught myself checking the news more than before and I’m exhausted. It’s very draining and I rather just do my best as an individual and not focus so much of what’s going on around me and the world or else I’ll go crazy. Edited May 31, 2023 by Last Boy on Earth
imabadkid Posted June 1, 2023 Posted June 1, 2023 Yes... I was telling someone the other day it feels worse than it did in 2016 during the T*ump years... it just feels like a v dark and divided time in this country. I miss 2012 or 2013 when everyone was making viral Call Me Maybe YouTube videos. Like everything is so srs now.
Leptine Posted June 3, 2023 Posted June 3, 2023 I check for the main news-events at least, sure I agree there's too much negativity and disinformation but at the same time I still need to know what is happening.
velocity Posted June 3, 2023 Posted June 3, 2023 Yes and it's so much better. Me knowing won't change anything so I prefer to just be happy and live my life
JustHoran Posted June 4, 2023 Posted June 4, 2023 It can be draining. I still watch local news sometimes, and once in a while I will turn on MSNBC for a little. Mostly, I don't watch the news anymore either. I do still read news online so I am still paying attention to what is happening in the world.
midnightdawn Posted June 6, 2023 Posted June 6, 2023 (edited) Kind of. I like to stay informed but a lot of it is the same stuff over and over like AI, climate change, all these terrible predictions for the future. It's best to just avoid the doom and gloom about the future, which a lot of media is, and just consume news that is relevant today and necessary to know. Edited June 6, 2023 by midnightdawn
Triton Posted June 6, 2023 Posted June 6, 2023 I stopped a while ago, it’s ridiculous, both local and national. I might read a headline here and there then read the story if it piques my attention. Honestly this forum and Twitter do a better job of informing me about certain events, during COVID and the elections I just popped into the threads. 1
Cyanide Posted June 6, 2023 Posted June 6, 2023 I like keeping up to date but it’s definitely ****** up
John Slayne Posted June 6, 2023 Posted June 6, 2023 i don't avoid it, but i do try to touch grass a lot more now. i used to be much more active on social media and it drove me insane tbh
AMIT Posted June 6, 2023 Posted June 6, 2023 ATRL is my main source of news since I barely use social media anymore (love that for me), so basically yeah.
theweekend Posted June 7, 2023 Posted June 7, 2023 in almost a decade I've decided to do that and it's quite amazing. had to learn by myself that being a unaware person somehow makes you happy, though from time to time I update myself reading the news or talking to my parents.
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