Shae: I commend you on opening your heart to write such a profound piece. I’m very sorry about your brother. I’m sure the mental and emotional fallout must have felt unbearable.
I agree with you about the news, which I have previously written about here at length. I have worked with, and in, the news media for decades, so I do have some personal insights.
There are two saying which sum up the mass media approach to reporting the news:
1) “If it bleeds it leads.” The most horrific and graphic news comes first and is highlighted the most.
2) “Sensationalism sells.” The more sensational, the more coverage a story receives.
This all comes down to ratings and revenue because news media are for-profit organizations owned by corporate interests. Moreover, all the negative news coverage is similar to what gets amplified on social media.
The most negative and hateful posts are often the ones that draw the most attention, engagement and go viral.
So, yes, limiting your news consumption and carefully choosing which media to follow can make a big difference. Ditto that for social media, perhaps even more.
Thank you again for this illuminating and enlightening read. I empathize with your sentiments. I appreciate your wise words and important insights about the negative affects of non-stop news media and social media on our lives.
It’s up to each person to find the right balance of news and social media consumption that is best for the individual. Yet this is often influenced by FOMO in today’s high-tech world due to information overload.
And if that information overload is exceedingly negative—which is the case—then it certainly has a detrimental impact on our mental and emotional health and wellness. So choose wisely…