A lot of people are telling me they’re overwhelmed and taking a break from the news. They can’t obsess on Trump again like they’ve been doing for years. It’s bad for their mental health to read his word salad every day during their lunch break. It’s too much to watch MSNBC flip out about Trump selecting an anti-vaxxer as a top health official. Or an alleged pedophile to lead the Justice Department. Trump’s voice and image on CNN turn a perfectly good day into a bad one. And on and on.
So people are choosing to go dark.
That’s so stupid.
You Can’t Hide From News About Trump Anyway
As a practical matter, there’s no way to escape the news, especially when Trump’s extremism is exploding all around you. If you’re choosing to eschew the news, you’re just going to hear rumors instead. And you won’t be able to avoid the rumors because you’re swimming in them whether you like it or not. Your friends mention things they’ve “heard.” Words pop up on social. The financial system shakes. Your undocumented friend is scared. Your algorithm won’t forget that you used to devour news and will continue delivering it to you.
Branch Out, Rather Than Tune Out
You can burn out on the news when you’re choosing the wrong journalism. Obviously, don’t watch Fox News, unless you want to understand how misinformation works. And don’t get mired in your Google News feed. Find a diet of credible local and national platforms that match your pace and information desires. Try something new. Switch back and forth. Break your bad news habits — instead of tossing everything out.
You Can’t Resist Without Knowing What’s Going On
The people who are telling me about their voluntary news blackouts are also saying they want to fight back against Trump, if they can find something to do. But they say they have no clue how to resist effectively. Well, hello in there, you’re never going to know what to do if you don’t know what’s going on. News coverage of Trump will reveal what groups and people are doing to block him and his minions of crazies. The path of resistance will be revealed in real-time as we move forward. Watch for it in the news.
News Gives You Power
It’s trite, but information is power. You weaken yourself when you don’t know what’s going on. The expected mental-health benefits don’t show up because your bunker is leaking and you’re more scared than ever that it’s going to get bombed with you in it — whether it’s true or not. When you understand the reality in front of you, you can assess the real threats and you can act accordingly — and not be subject to manipulation.
Read More News, Not Less
So it’s time to amp up your news consumption, not roll it back or try (fruitlessly) to eliminate it. And while you’re at it, keep reading our stuff at the Colorado Times Recorder, please.
