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February 2, 2012
"The news. I don’t watch it and I don’t read it."
I can't stomach the fact that something designed specifically to help us know thingshas exactly the opposite effect. At best, it only helps us think we know things. Doubtful knowledge. Or doubtable knowledge. Which is a hell of a lot worse because that makes us want to hurry up and make a whole bunch of other people think they know it, too. --How Dead Do I Have to Be? « The Dipso Chronicles
Posted by gerardvanderleun at February 2, 2012 2:21 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
For about 10 years know I've switched from news junkie to podcast junkie. I watched the "news" because I wanted to know things. Then I noticed the "news' wasn't really telling me anything but opinions and reactions.
Rather than constantly scanning the news I listened to topical podcasts about the subjects in the news. You get context and background to the subjects in the news and the more you learn the easier it is to learn more new things. C-SPAN puts everything online. The BookTV part of C-SPAN is awesome. Do your really need to hear a reporter with not inherent knowledge give you his first impressions about what all of the other reporters are talking about? I'd rather listen to an author talk about the subject he spent a few years researching. I don't really care what the uninformed think about things, I want to use experts and their opponents discuss the weighty issues. Did I mention no commercials?
The only thing you miss out on by skipping the "news" are the details you were going to use at the water cooler, big deal. If you want to reduce your anxiety, get better informed, and better understand the world change your information strategy from "going wide" to "going deep."
Study a few topics at a time and keep track of predictions. The experts that understand their subject are much better at seeing what's ahead than the talking heads that have to say something just because they were asked to speak.
When you see/hear an expert note his name and his affiliation. Then go explore his group's web pages where they have tons of analysis rather than the 7 seconds of blather before the others talk over him.
Light a candle, not curse the darkness. There is darn little you can't understand with a lot less TV and a little bit of research and reflection. I tell people, if they are dumb enough to keep watching TV they deserve to be angry and confused.
Posted by: Scott M at February 3, 2012 2:38 AM