Following The News Doesn’t Only Have To Be Bad
In a world where most of our news is rather bleak.
Hello 2020. It’s hardly been ten days and we’ve already got a lot going on — it looks like we’ve collected a decade’s worth of news. Trending right now — Australian bushfires, Iran vs. America, World War III, Ukrainian Air Plane Crash, and Megexit. It’s been busy to the say the least. And tragic. Watching devastation ravage through New South Wales to horrific footage of tension in the Middle East, there is nothing particularly positive about the news. And such is the way it often is. If things are calm globally, local news is always spewing out stories of car crashes, shootings and mention of harsh weather on it’s way. There is never much to look forward to, yet we continually watch the news.
Why?
Perhaps it is our curiosity, or our need to be abreast with the happenings in the world, building our general knowledge or simply pure entertainment. There is a basic need to not live life under a rock. Whatever the reason, millions around the world tune into media stations, read newspapers and curiously peruse other forms of news everyday.
But the reality is many people I know have given up the news and some of my favourite writers have likewise recommended, right here on Medium, that we stop watching the news. After all, it is all rather depressing.
But, it doesn’t all have to be bad. In 2020, I professed to start watching the news less. I decided it was often a waste of time, politically charged and inaccurate or “fake” as Twitter bird, Donald, would put it. But so far, I am failing miserably. I turn on the news as soon as I wake up and once in the evening to catch up on all that has happened throughout the day. And 2020 so far, has not disappointed in keeping me gripped.
Here’s two reasons why I believe watching the news can also be a good thing.
- News can sometimes serve as a stark realization that maybe our problems are not so big. We’re worried about a deal not going through or a friend being mad at us, meanwhile others in remote parts of the world are worried about having food on the table or finding a safe place for shelter. We have so much to be grateful for. When I watch the bushfires, I am grateful for a roof over my head, normal climate (for the present moment at least) and my routine. Imagine being displaced by a savage natural disaster such as this one — nothing you know from day to day stays. Everything turns to dust. For them, all they have to think about is how to survive. Meanwhile, every single one of us that is pursuing a life in which we can thrive is already doing 99% better than the rest of the planet.
- We learn to find compassion and empathy. Sometimes, we are so caught up in our own tiny planet that we don’t have time to worry or care about things that don’t affect us. By bring awareness to matters around the world, we gain a heightened appreciation and sense of empathy for people living lives completely differently than how we do. If we did not have the awareness of catastrophic events, our hearts wouldn’t reach out to donate or find a charity to help someone in need. As humans, we are always capable of giving and sharing especially in times of loss. On that note, I thought it would be prudent to share a resource I found to help contribute to the climate crisis occurring down under: How to Help Australia Right Now.
Dealing with adversity is a part of life. We all have to build the strength to navigate through bad news — whether that be in our personal lives or in the world around us. Ignoring what is happening doesn’t make things go away. For sure, it can dampen our mood and bring negativity to our atmosphere, but this is why it’s useful to set a limit on how much news you consume each day. I find Twitter can be a useful resource to quickly scroll through the events worthy of notice or tuning it at the top of the hour to any news broadcasting station for a quick recap of the news events of the day.
Remember, it is only excessive consumption of news that is likely to have negative effects on our sleep, anxiety and mood but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to tune in all together. We just have to find the right balance.
