Live Simply Simply Live
  • Blog
  • Studio
  • Home
  • Cards
  • Coronation Wood

Simply..hooked?

1/10/2015

7 Comments

 


I tried (and failed) to take a complete break from the news lately. (See this post.)

It was very hard!

They've got me hooked. I'm interested in politics and how the world works, and I suppose I like to think I'm a well informed, dutiful citizen. I'm a quick reader and good at skimming and I skim The Times, The Guardian, Time magazine, The New Yorker and BBC news on iPlayer. I've not had a television for a very long time and I don't listen to the news on the hour every hour on radio. (I truly believe we humans were not designed for this and that it is probably very bad for our mental health!) So I maybe spend about 30 - 40 minutes a day on news and current affairs. And you?

That felt still too much lately.

The photographs of dead children washed up on beaches - what can I say? You too were  distressed and haunted by them.

I realized that I'd gradually got into the habit of checking the headlines every time I was on the computer.

I did cut back to once a day at a time of my own choosing, and I missed a few days altogether. I felt the better for it and behold! the world carried on in it's usual way without me. Huh! Imagine.

So my break wasn't really a break but I think I have a better perspective on how much I really need to know what the world's bad news is (and it's mostly bad). Reassuring in an odd way as it is only because it is out of the ordinary that it is news. If the deaths/traumas/disasters/cruelties/political scandals and other horrors were the norm they would not be news. ('I feel sure there is a flaw in this argument - feel free to explain it to me....)

I may try mini-breaks. Avoiding media at week-ends perhaps.

I want to thank you for the supportive comments on the 'Hard To Be Light' post. Lotta's words were particularly interesting and helpful to me. I love that this blog is a two-way thing.
Picture

On a lighter note - this is how the acer by the grey shed looked at sunset recently. Luminous. Even the swans were pink.
7 Comments
Elaine link
2/10/2015 07:36:12 am

I have just read something in a book that I think may be relevant
'The secret of survival is a defective imagination. The inability of mortals to imagine things as they truly are is what allows them to live, since one momentary,I resisted glimpse of the world's totality of suffering, would annihilate them on the spot, like a whiff of the most lethal sewer gas'.

Reply
Elaine link
2/10/2015 08:19:24 am

That should read unresisted.

Reply
Freda
2/10/2015 02:06:03 pm

I must cultivate a defective imagination I think! Thanks fort this Elaine - it is a very striking idea.

julia
2/10/2015 12:04:40 pm

hi freda, i am so happy to have you back online, and can really relate to your feelings. i, too, find the news makes me feel very upset, overwhelmed and helpless. what helps me is to think of what small difference i CAN make in the world...i can't solve it all, but maybe if i do one small thing, the world might be better...i love this little story, at this link:http://nextstarfish.com/?page_id=102
and the site also has some nice ideas for making the world a better place...:-)

Reply
Freda
2/10/2015 02:07:47 pm

You are so right - one small thing is the way to go. I think I know the starfish story from Anne Morrow Lindbergh....will check!

Reply
Swissrose link
3/10/2015 11:38:50 am

My complaint is that much (most?) of the news isn't actually news and I find this a lot worse in Britain than elsewhere in Europe, to be honest (in Switzerland, we have always had the news/views of at least 3 German-speaking countries, 2 French-speaking countries and 2 Italian-speaking countries, even before cable TV). Although I'd rather hear news than see it, I find it adequate to hear it a couple of times a week. Anything that is really news or important will filter through as is fit.
In this way, I find "news" to be just as bad as constant advertising and am disturbed by the fact that few seem to question what we are constantly bombarded with….

Reply
Freda
3/10/2015 11:57:07 am

A good point Swiss Rose. Northernmoon recently commented that news as entertainment was a new thing, and she didn't like it. It has become a constant in the background. Twice a week sounds about right! I loved your post about the typewriter bringing such joy and it is nice to see you back.. Thank you for commenting.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Live Simply
    Live Simply
    Simple
    Simply Art
    Simply..A Student Of Old Age
    Simply Beautiful
    Simply Bin It
    Simply Chill
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Do A Good Deed
    Simply Draw
    Simply Draw
    Simply Eat
    Simply Fitter
    Simply Fun
    Simply Get Rid
    Simply Grow
    Simply Headspace
    Simply Holiday
    Simply Home
    Simply Home
    Simply Inspirational
    Simply Laugh
    Simply Learn
    Simply Listen
    Simply Live
    Simply Low Maintenance
    Simply Money
    Simply Move
    Simply Move
    Simply Organise
    Simply Paint
    Simply Routine
    Simply Seeing.. Or Not
    Simply Stylish
    Simply Venice
    Simply Write


    Author

    An artist seeking a simpler life - (but not too simple!)

    All words and images copyright Freda Waldapfel 2010 - 2020

    Archives

    July 2025
    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.