I Hate the News (2006)

Here are two ideas for non-traditional news, that would reduce the information overload, and make news more interesting and healthy: - Actionable news. Only news to which you can (or have to), as a citizen, take some action. Examples: Changes in law, cultural events that will take place in the future, openings of new institutions, planned political demonstrations or petitions. - Old news. Only give news about something after it is resolved, not when it is happening (avoid especially breaking…

Relevant: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/65213-briefly-stated-the-gel... > Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories…

It's alright for one person to think this way, but if everyone did we'd be in a bit of trouble as a society. I think the reality is in the middle anyway, i.e. very few people are desperately gripped to each and every story, and if you think you're supposed to care about every story then you're missing the point of the news. Chances are enough people will care about each story to make it worthwhile running, even when many…

I recently moved countries, and in the process, sort of stopped caring or reading about politics. The way I see it, politics back home doesn't effect me, and I can't do anything about local politics as I can't vote. It really is liberating to not give a shit about politics, to put it bluntly. It's one less source of stress in my life.