I am only interested in those of you who try and avoid the media. I would like to know why you avoid the news/advertising, and what effect not being up to date with the news has had on you, if any.
I dont read the papers, because its sensationalised, i feel sorry for the people whos lives they intrude upon, and alot of the time, i just dont belive it(or their version).
Please dont just agree with me, be origional.
2006-08-15 05:06:09 · 20 answers · asked by yeah well 5 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
"man watches so suspiciously over everything he possesses, only time he allows being stolen - mostly by television."
(linus pauling)
chuck is right. there's negativity, there's an attempt to make money behind everything we watch on tv.
i have stopped watching tv for years (except for some movies, documentary, comedy or shows like "who wants to be a millionaire") and i rarely read any newspaper ever. to say i feel happier would be the least.
it kinda started when i found ever fewer things i was interested in watching, resulting in zapping around for hours sometimes. so i automatically started asking myself before i went to bed: "what have you done today? did you really achieve anything?" i sure didn't.
i finally quit watching or even turning on the tv (when i still had one) unless there was something i WANTED to see. and even when i missed something, i realized very fast that the time i spent with other things was definitely not wasted like before. i met friends, learned new things, started reading books about things i found interesting, got things done that i needed to do, i even went out all by myself - i enjoyed life and found more important things to know or experience.
most people think that what they are told on tv is how the world outside is like. that's not true. and even if, it's still like chuck said: everybody has a different opinion and point of view regarding life and the world.
basically what happens on tv is that somebody else is telling you his or her opinion, without you being able to react upon. and even if you do react - does something happen? does anyone listen or care at all? what is said is stated as fact, no matter what.
now imagine one of your friends would talk to you all day, telling you what happens in his or her life. every day. what would happen? would you see life through his or her eyes? what if that friend is just depressive all the time for no reason? would you think life is depressing? if someone on tv tells you tide is the best detergent in the world, do you believe it? if your friend told you mcdonalds is the best fast food restaurant in the world, would you ask her WHY? you can't ask the people on tv, WHY is it important for me to know that britney spears is pregnant? HOW can you proof that my house is going to be robbed if i don't buy this or that insurance? WHAT do i get when i spend my money on voting for my favorite american idol? WHY does this country fight that country? WHY that man got drunk and killed his wife and children? WHY do people hate each other just because their skin has a different color?
The answer is always the same: LIFE!
tv always implies life.
the objects on the news and in tv shows are always trying to somehow survive and bear the burden of life - and the objects watching are always trying to find someone they can identify themselves with, someone who is equally lost in this journey of life, someone who doesn't even know better or has no other choice than to FIGHT for life.
it's like a witches' circle. those who seek for a sense of life, for a reason to survive, get stuck to tv. why? because NOBODY can give or even show you a sense of life - everybody needs to CREATE life and it's sense for and by him- or herself.
that's the difficult part about life.
tv basically tells people who are not strong, courageous or intellegent enough to take that burden of CREATING their own sense of life, that there are millions and millions of other people who are just as lost, saying "don't worry, you are not alone, you are not crazy. we are all sitting in the same boat".
and wasn't it easy to have parents telling you what is right or wrong, what is good or bad, what is worth knowing or bying and what is not? now you are grown up and supposed to decide yourself, which is hard. you look for help - hey! there's tv! tells you everything you need to know! it's easy.
"We can become knowledgable through others, but wise only through ourselves."
the truth is that there is no right or wrong, no good or bad, and nothing to be afraid of. it takes a whole lot of effort of course, but if you really like to keep vegetating in front of your tv, that's your own choice - but if one day you look back at your life finding that you didn't achieve quite anything - who you gonna blame? the tv? your education?
it's my choice, and i WANT to decide myself, i don't need others to decide for me what to know, what to buy, what music to listen to or even how to live my life at all. i DECIDE what is right or wrong, what is good or bad FOR ME. if i don't what anything bad or depressing in my life, i will need to make the effort and FACE what is in my way and at least TRY to deal with it. if i fail, i can try again - LIFE is so MANIFOLD and VERSATILE! why let other people earn your money for showing you their (fake) opinions and experiences - DISCOVER yourself, for free!
people nowadays are fascinated by the idea of becoming immortal...for what? to watch more tv?
2006-08-15 13:48:22 · answer #1 · answered by baerchen80 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't read the paper or watch television news. I stopped 10 months ago after making a decision to deliberately set out and make what I thought would be some positive life changes. Changes that would result in me feeling better, more joyful and positive.
One of the things I did was stop watching the news or reading any news related information. Over time I've become aware of how my openion about various topics, from the mondain to major issues were actually being formed and influenced by the media.
My general outlook on life tended to lean more to the "everything's a mess, it's getting worse, and their's no hope" because I was constantely getting reinforcement from the news to support my outlook.
Since I've ovoided the news I am SO much happier. It's hard to explain in such a limited forum, but basically my attitude has changed A LOT. I don't feel all of that "generalized fear" that seemed to come along with "being informed". I have a much more positive outlook, I tend to look for things to appreciate more now than ever before, and I'm really MUCH happier and content.
I've also stopped watching commercials... thanks to DVR's. I can't even begin to tell you what a difference that's made.
Regarding how I feel about not being aware of what's going on around me..... it's not been a problem. Other people think it's odd, almost un-natural, but I seem to always have an awareness of what's really important that's going on ( it finds it's way to you even when you're trying to avoid it ) , I just don't get bogged down in the details of "what-if", and "in my openion" , "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" etc., etc., etc. that seems to come along with the news via TV or print.
I hope that helps answer your question.
Take care,
Chuck :- )
2006-08-15 05:42:52 · answer #2 · answered by Chuck D 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I rarely if every watch the nes or read a news paper mainly because I have the internet at work and normally check the BBC website during the day. The tabloids are pap but some of the broadsheets are ok. Sunday editions are normally the best.
If I do want some tv news though Channel f news (if you are in the UK) is by far the most indepth.
2006-08-15 05:12:24 · answer #3 · answered by John D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I take only our local twice weekly paper and our local news stations are little better than tabloid t.v., but I normally turn on CNN every morning.
However, I tend to go through phases of shunning the national news. I've never really thought about why I do it until I saw your question. I've had several surgeries due to cancer over the past five years and while I'm recovering I rarely watch the national news... probably because it's mostly bad news punctuated by everything from the banal to the horrific. To me it just seems to generate so much negativity that it's counterproductive to healing.
In spite of your admonition to the contrary, I have to agree with your comment regarding disbelief of their "version" of the news. Often they seem to be fixated on some non-event (like Angelina Jolie's baby) and cram it down our throats so repetitiously that I have to ask myself "I wonder what is going on in the world today that they're trying so hard to distract us?!"
2006-08-15 09:13:42 · answer #4 · answered by nimbleminx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont read the paper or watch the news as it is always depressing and about bad things happening. I usually read our local paper. Also my homepage is msn and sometimes news storys on there catch my eye and I may read it. Mainly I keep up to date by people telling me things as they know I do not watch or read about it.
I always feel down or annoyed after watching to news, so I would rather avoid it. Tho must admit I have been keeping tabs at the moment re the recent airport business.
2006-08-15 12:42:35 · answer #5 · answered by xxshellbeanxx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would be me then....as I don't take a Daily paper and I don't have a TV (license).
I keep up to date on the Internet, and tend to use foreign news sites as well as our own, just so see how things are reported without a Brit-bias. I still use the radio quite a lot, but tend to stick to Radio 4 and Talk Sport.
I joke 'how on earth can I decide what to eat without all the adverts to help me!', but I seem to be surviving just fine. If anything I believe TV needs me more than I need it.
2006-08-15 05:10:16 · answer #6 · answered by 'Dr Greene' 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't like to read the newspaper or watch the news because there is hardly ever anything good being mentioned. It seems like the only time they do report something good is when they think it will boost their ratings or it is something they sponsor. I would love to hear a story about how someone spent the day doing good things for no reason, but I don't think that it ever happens.
2006-08-15 05:14:14 · answer #7 · answered by sevekle 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The terrestrial TV news channels have a definite lefty/liberal bias.
The Guardian, Observer, Independent, financial times also have a lefty/liberal bias. The only newspapers who are anywhere near traditional British values are, The Daily Mail, Telegraph and Daily Express. They are the only papers that take the government to task, the others are on side.
2006-08-15 05:33:43 · answer #8 · answered by Veritas 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The only time I hear of the local or wordly news is if already on around me.. but even then I really don't pay much attention. There's just so much negativity on the news with EVERYTHING these days. Its gotten old and tiresome hearing so much bad things all the time.
2006-08-15 06:15:32 · answer #9 · answered by mitch_girl03 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read the news on the internet
I watch the news on TV, including BBC News 24 and Sky News on Satellite
I accasionally read newspapers too to get a different view of the news and the world.
2006-08-15 05:13:17 · answer #10 · answered by Steve C 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it might be sensationalised but how are you going to hear whats going on otherwise?
speaking a future journalist (student) I think its important to remember that some papers feed you crap and others try and get it to you as pure as possible before the big dogs get their mitts on it
people cant handle the truth, there would be a public outcry if everything came to us exactly as it was seen we're too fragile for that
but to just dismiss it completely I feel is pretty stupid
2006-08-15 05:14:59 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋