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After I retired I started to gravitate towards the news/political channels (watching or leaving on in the background to listen to) until I realized what a cesspool they were and their attempts at brainwashing & mind control (the financial channels too) depending on their slant (and there are ones on both ends of the spectrum but more existing obviously on the liberal side).
I quickly decided I didn't need to expose myself to that and start on the road of becoming an old man yelling at the tv. I chose instead to watch informational shows (History Channel, NatGeo, ID Network, Smithsonian Channel (FANTASTIC content), old game shows (GSN), classic TV and old movies on TCM and sports shows.
I found out I wasn't missing anything as most of it is just a bunch of bloviating windbags covering other bloviating windbag politicians or groups and my state of mind & well being were much better off and less stressful.
If a major event happens I'll check obviously but other than that I don't feel like I'm missing anything by not tuning in regularly.
I worked in government for three decades so I pay attention but almost everything that can be said has been said. Turning up the volume doesn't help. Becoming more extreme doesn't help. We no longer have leaders who know how to govern or compromise. It is the interest groups, lobbyists, and PACs that put them in power and keep them there for their own interests. Many are one-trick-ponies with no knowledge or understanding in more than one issue and have to be led by lobbyists through unfamiliar territory and they get rewarded for their ignorance. Voters should not tune out but stay informed and not fall victim to ridiculous pandering or personality cults.
LOL! I'm still toiling away at the salt mines*...I drew the same conclusion the OP did about mass media ten years ago. When my cheapo flat screen TV expired, I carried it to the discarded appliance pile next to the complex's dumpster and did not replace it. At the time, I had a good dawg to walk. He was a lot more interesting and better company, not to mention higher quality background noise (he was a mumbler and commentator) than the TV.
I do get digital newspaper and mag subscriptions, but reading them is entirely my option.
*edited to say, it's sort of a benign gig, if work can be characterized that way. Work from home doing interesting work as a government contractor (it IS interesting, honest). Plus, I've never, ever lived to work - but always did strive to maximize the dollars per hour and minimize ...err, "optimize"...my expropriated...err, "expended" hours.
Well there's the "news" then there's 24 hour cable opinion programming. I watch local news to see what's going on and the anchor is really cute.
All the political nonsense I ignore. I could care less what people in DC, New York or LA think.
HA-HA!!! Totally agree! I don't care what they think either, and I WORK for the government in DC! Thankfully, you can keep your blood pressure down and avoid opining on social and political matters when you work on firm fixed price ("FFP")contracts. Those are the sharp end of the spear - time really IS money.
I keep up with the news all the time. I used to work in the news business, so it interests me. Sticking your head in the sand is not a solution. In the last Congressional election I supported the democratic challenger and worked on his campaign. He lost, but I was out there helping. I am dismayed with the state of the country today. But people sitting by like sheep is not the answer. Get involved, get out there and make your voice heard. You are a citizen and it's your country. And for gods sake vote.
I dislike extreme liberals and extreme conservatives equally. Imo, the political situation is getting so crazy lately (or, at least, more publicity is being given to the craziness), that I am seriously thinking of doing whatever I can to ignore political news altogether because most mainstream media does nothing but make me angry and frustrated. Plus, of course, so much focus is now given to completely unimportant, imo, sports and celebrity news.
Do any of you feel the same way? And if you have succeeded in ignoring the mass media (which I believe is deliberately creating divisiveness between groups of people with different backgrounds and ideologies), how did you manage to do that? My problem is that I have been a "news junkie" and have had a strong interest in politics and social issues since I was in middle school; and I don't think that I would have the willpower to just ignore all media entirely, even if that is possible.
P.S. I don't have cable television and I no longer subscribe to any newspapers, but I don't want to give up City-Data because I find it both entertaining and informative. (And also, if a subject or news story interests me, I will often pursue more information about it, which helps me to keep my mind sharp.)
In some ways, I wish I could ignore politics and social issues and particularly tune some of the nonsense going on in our current presidential administration out of my life.
I cannot. I do not feel I have that choice. Let me try to explain.
I have an uncle who died fighting in the second world war. My wife has a similar situation. One of her uncles died in that awful war as well. But, it runs even deeper than that. I have relatives who came home from that war with terrible PTSD. They were never really normal and died younger than they should have. I have had professional colleagues who were Holocaust survivors. My father was volunteer legal counsel in the 1960's for his local chapter of the NAACP.
Not voting, not paying attention to politics, and not participating in civic affairs would be nothing less to me than betrayal of these people and what they did and what they stood for. It would be heartless perfidy.
Than there is the question of civic debt. This country has given me much. I have had many opportunities and fortunately I have been able to do much with those opportunities. I have always felt the obligation to participate in civic affairs, obey laws, pay my fair share of taxes, and work within the system for change.
I believe older people can contribute much to public dialogue if they are willing to look beyond simply their own situation. Frankly, many cannot and it is a pity However, those who do have a long term perspective on this country. They can see both its problems and its promise.
Ultimately, all of us must pick the hill that we choose to die on. My hill is here in America.
I cannot avoid participating in civic affairs as long as I believe that our country, America, has promises to keep.
I keep up with the news all the time. I used to work in the news business, so it interests me. Sticking your head in the sand is not a solution. In the last Congressional election I supported the democratic challenger and worked on his campaign. He lost, but I was out there helping. I am dismayed with the state of the country today. But people sitting by like sheep is not the answer. Get involved, get out there and make your voice heard. You are a citizen and it's your country. And for gods sake vote.
Who says anyone is sticking their heads in the sand??? Judgmental/assuming aren't we??
Why are you assuming same.... because we are saying we refuse to tune in and watch the airheads appease their respective political side and skew the news/narrative? Personally, I said I stopped tuning into such broadcast channels...but that doesn't me I'm uninformed. I read the print/online news everyday and make my own judgments, not having them filtered or bastardized by those hired & paid to toe the line. Not having to listen to these self aggrandizing idiots loudly proclaim what you should think or argue points (or...as more often the case...inflate minor stories to fill their airtime) is a blessing.
I dislike extreme liberals and extreme conservatives equally. Imo, the political situation is getting so crazy lately (or, at least, more publicity is being given to the craziness), that I am seriously thinking of doing whatever I can to ignore political news altogether because most mainstream media does nothing but make me angry and frustrated. Plus, of course, so much focus is now given to completely unimportant, imo, sports and celebrity news.
Do any of you feel the same way? And if you have succeeded in ignoring the mass media (which I believe is deliberately creating divisiveness between groups of people with different backgrounds and ideologies), how did you manage to do that? My problem is that I have been a "news junkie" and have had a strong interest in politics and social issues since I was in middle school; and I don't think that I would have the willpower to just ignore all media entirely, even if that is possible.
P.S. I don't have cable television and I no longer subscribe to any newspapers, but I don't want to give up City-Data because I find it both entertaining and informative. (And also, if a subject or news story interests me, I will often pursue more information about it, which helps me to keep my mind sharp.)
My situation, roughly, is similar to yours. I am fed up with the whole business, sometime last year I began reading kindle books. I have really enjoyed it so far and I hope it helps my pea brain some.
In some ways, I wish I could ignore politics and social issues and particularly tune some of the nonsense going on in our current presidential administration out of my life.
I cannot. I do not feel I have that choice. Let me try to explain.
I have an uncle who died fighting in the second world war. My wife has a similar situation. One of her uncles died in that awful war as well. But, it runs even deeper than that. I have relatives who came home from that war with terrible PTSD. They were never really normal and died younger than they should have. I have had professional colleagues who were Holocaust survivors. My father was volunteer legal counsel in the 1960's for his local chapter of the NAACP.
Not voting, not paying attention to politics, and not participating in civic affairs would be nothing less to me than betrayal of these people and what they did and what they stood for. It would be heartless perfidy.
Than there is the question of civic debt. This country has given me much. I have had many opportunities and fortunately I have been able to do much with those opportunities. I have always felt the obligation to participate in civic affairs, obey laws, pay my fair share of taxes, and work within the system for change.
I believe older people can contribute much to public dialogue if they are willing to look beyond simply their own situation. Frankly, many cannot and it is a pity However, those who do have a long term perspective on this country. They can see both its problems and its promise.
Ultimately, all of us must pick the hill that we choose to die on. My hill is here in America.
I cannot avoid participating in civic affairs as long as I believe that our country, America, has promises to keep.
This is a great post. Sorry I have to spread some reputation before repping you again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by luckyram
Who says anyone is sticking their heads in the sand??? Judgmental/assuming aren't we??
Why are you assuming same.... because we are saying we refuse to tune in and watch the airheads appease their respective political side and skew the news/narrative? Personally, I said I stopped tuning into such broadcast channels...but that doesn't me I'm uninformed. I read the print/online news everyday and make my own judgments, not having them filtered or bastardized by those hired & paid to toe the line. Not having to listen to these self aggrandizing idiots loudly proclaim what you should think or argue points (or...as more often the case...inflate minor stories to fill their airtime) is a blessing.
You pretty much said you are sticking your head in the sand. The OP stated, "And if you have succeeded in ignoring the mass media...;" mass media includes all TV, internet, and print/online news.
I've never found it to be more important than to be an informed voter today than ever before. I agree with StealthRabbit. "USA needs and would benefit from an informed electorate. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think the biggest danger to our country is the un-informed low information emotional thinking voter.
You wouldn't believe what I hear from the rubes that voted for Trump. "I don't want sharia law taught in our schools." Who is Paul Manafort? Who is Felix Sater? They honestly don't know.
Do I avoid the news and anything political? Heck no. I devour it on both sides of the spectrum. Every vote that is cast has to be an informed vote, not one based on emotional thinking rhetoric. Anything less and you're part of the problem.
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