Why do we follow the news and whether to do it

Brett McKay

Writer, blogger, chief editor of the Internet portal, which was created to help men be ideal husbands and fathers, as well as to realize their potential.

When I was doing the usual morning chores, especially on weekends, I have a habit of listening to your favorite radio transmission: Radiolab, TED Radio Hour, To the Best of Our Knowledge. But before all these broadcast begins, leading necessarily says:

But first - the news.

It does not matter what I was doing at that moment - brush my teeth or doing something else - after this phrase I always reflexively begin to listen to find out what will say next.

What follows is usually referred to news reports. These are the main events that had happened to date, a summary of the most important incidents: in a landslide killed 25 people; there was an explosion in the center of the capital; the stock market is falling, then rising again; sports team has won some kind of award; He passed away all of your favorite celebrity.

The news is very rarely talk about what really interests me. Yet every time the radio sounds the phrase "But first - the news," I involuntarily begin to listen more carefully.

Inexplicable dissonance between my strange craving for news, and the fact that nothing useful for myself, I have not checked out, already several years raises my natural question: Is there really ever any sense to keep an eye on them?

News - a new religion and a means of distraction

news consumption - a daily habit of billions of people around the world. And no matter where they receive them: they see on the Internet or on television, hear on the radio or read in the newspapers.

This habit is nothing new. In the days of primitive people there were scouts who regularly supplied tribesmen information about the nature, food and neighboring tribes. By the way, there is speculation that these reports and have become the root cause of our strong thrust to the news, as it helps to escape the sudden intrusion of enemy tribes and to survive. A hundred years ago people did not have any social networking sites or blogs or news sites - instead they bought packs of daily newspapers.

news consumption - this is not a new practice. It is rapidly gaining momentum and has gradually become one of the integral parts of our lives.

In today's world news in a sense, we replaced some people religion. Checking the latest news, immediately after waking up and before going to bed, we replaced the morning and evening prayers.

Previously, the faithful seek solace in the texts of Scripture, and now, in the words of British writer Alain de Botton (Alain de Botton), for this we turn to the news.

We hope to receive revelation. Find out who is good and who is bad. To feel compassion and to understand the logic of events occurring in the world. And if we refuse to participate in these rituals, we could be accused of apostasy.

Alain de Botton

If we assume that the new religion news, it will be the least understood. Media rarely share information about themselves. It is unlikely that we will find at least somewhere to reports about how all things are actually arranged in the world media.

In countries with the most developed culture of news consumption is undoubtedly an effective means of diverting public attention.

Do not follow the current news or do not know what's going on in the world - is the surest way to pass roughest hillbillies.

However, the risk of sounding heretical, I still try to prove that, although in general the news is not entirely useless, we might do a much smaller volume information compared to what we have today.

We are proud to follow the news. Why?

I would suggest that when it comes to the question of why we watch the news, there is a big difference between the way we respond to it, and our real motives. When analyzing the reasons expounded by people in most cases, often it turns out that they do not sound as convincing as we would like.

Reason number 1: News truthful coverage of events taking place in the world

The mission of any journalist (seriously related to their profession, of course) is to maximize reliably inform people about what is happening around, and tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Whether it is necessary to think, that if not for news, we would have been deprived of the opportunity to know about what "really" happening in the world?

trueWhich we share with the media, to the impossibility of one-sided and reflects only one aspect of our lives. And, as a rule, the part of it that is new, unexplored and full of negativity.

According to the results of the survey, the ratio of bad news to good is approximately 17: 1. We constantly see reports on dozens opoloumevshih murderers and pedophiles, but did not hear a single word about the Millions of people who just went to work, had dinner and went to bed, one is not killing and not injuring.

There are many truthful titles that have absolutely no chance ever to be on the front pages of newspapers.

• Fifteen-year teenager helped strange old woman to climb three flights of stairs.
• Carefully weighing everything, the man decided nevertheless not to kill his wife.
• Sensation! Every day, 65 million people go to bed, one is not raped.

World News danger lurks around every corner, and well-known personalities working hard to create around himself as much hype. The angle in which the media view the world, is so narrow that consistently covers only a small part of the whole picture of what is happening, mercilessly distorting everything.

Media not only tell you about what is happening in reality, but also help to give it a particular form. What we see and read in the news, influences our perception of life and views on the current state of the country and the people around them.

The result is dreadfully gloomy and rather cynical perspective. Although most of the cases in our small little world of family and loved ones are pretty good, in general it seems that the rest of the planet in the soonest possible time will fall into hell.

Reason number 2: news devoid of racial barriers and other prejudices

When we keep abreast of all the events taking place in the world (whether it be natural disasters, disease and war between the two countries), the presumably this should help us to feel part of a global community, and generate a collective unity and empathy.

However, psychological research has led to a completely opposite results.

When we see the suffering of some particular person, we are imbued with sympathy for him. But when we learn about the tens of suffering, and hundreds of thousands of people, we tend to show indifference. In the face of massive suffering of our sympathy quickly runs away out of fear of being overwhelmed by other emotions.

News, instead of making us more human, gives the opposite effect.

It is assumed that we must learn to be more open to the suffering of other people, but endless reports of hundreds of victims of the explosion or by some disease does not cause us any emotions. Yes, we are, of course, all of them sorry, but in the depths of the soul, we mostly do not care.

Reason number 3: The news creates a feeling that we are engaged in dealing with important issues

News Track - one of the most important responsibilities of a person with an active civil position. But it is often presented as a reality in too simplified form and without any significant explanation.

Firstly, to be truly informed, to be able to really understand in a situation and know what action to take, need to do much more than just a infinitely read news. In news reports rarely given context of what is happening. Most often, there you can find an endless stream of different facts and expert points of view.

To understand what really happened and what weight was this event, you need to connect all of its resources: the basic knowledge history, philosophy, psychology and other sciences, carefully collected from books or other sources of information more comprehensive. Then and only then can you actually understand the meaning of what happened, and draw some conclusions.

Second, the news is not all require you instant response and immediate action. They do not relate directly to you.

Most news comes to exactly these problems that you would still have not been able to do, even if it is very much wanted. And if any of the news and requires a response, how often you're willing to do something about it? How many stories from the countless news that you have swallowed the last five years, directly prompted you to take certain measures? One percent? Hundredth of a percent?

Someone can certainly argue that the widespread and uncontrolled consumption of news makes us less prone to any action in principle. He is entombed in an avalanche of stories about how badly damaged and how awful this crazy world, we feel overwhelmed, paralyzed, apathetic. What can we all do to make a difference, and what it all lead?

Any modern dictator, who wants to strengthen his power, it is not necessary to take such terrible measures, such as the widespread ban news. He needs only to look to it that news organizations aired a chaotic flow information messages (in large numbers, without the context of explanation), without attaching special significance really important events.

All these messages have to mix with continuously emerging news of the massacre and the antics of celebrities. This will be enough to undermine the understanding of the political reality in most people, as well as their determination to do something to change the situation.

If you want people to accept the status quo, do not give them any news or let so much so that they were drowned in them. Then nothing ever will change.

Alain de Botton

As explained by de Botton, news consumption may eventually lead to the fact that we are all "off" from the real world.

The real causes of news consumption

Until we come up with a lot of logical pursuing the noble goal of explanation as to why we are watching the news, in most cases, the reasons for their use sound less convoluted.

For fun

The main reason for the consumption of news is the reason for the existence of the mass media in general - it's interesting. There is also action, and drama, and turns of events, and stress. Every genre of fiction has parallels with real life described in the news.

Mystery, horror, suspense. Why would someone special aircraft led to the mountain? We felt that before the collapse of the doomed passengers? Who started a gunfight? Guilty or not?
Novel. It is between these two celebrities have something? It seems to have all discuss their secret relationship! Why did they break up? Who threw the first one?
Comedy. You have seen the mistake made this policy? It's awful fun!
Parable. Whether fired general director due to his wiles? anyone punish this spoiled attention and money youngster? Stay tuned and find out everything!

News, full of intrigue, a little schadenfreude and detective stories, certainly can become a spectacle, for whom it will be pretty fun to watch.

In order to follow the lives of others

People - these creatures, which are highly sensitive to their own position in society. We monitor the tape in social networks to see and learn how things are going with friends than with us. At the same time the media have accustomed us to track and also what is happening in the lives of various famous people, but with them we do not know personally.

We are maneuvering between the news of those whom we know personally, and those for whom just fun to watch, to be aware of all the ups and downs. To see how someone is wrong, suffers failure or criticized, for some reason it gives us with what incomparable pleasure. Even if that person we actually like. for the failure of other observations lead us, however briefly, to feel a little better and above the rest.

To give yourself status

Being aware of current events - all the same that have a bachelor's what some of Sciences. This does not automatically mean that you're smarter or richer than others, but still gives you in the eyes of society a certain weight.

People have a habit of using it as a kind of evaluation criteria as the selection mechanism, which largely helps to save time and effort in getting acquainted with the person. The one who absolutely do not follow the news, find enough well-mannered.

Man, sagely ranting about the current situation, is seen as the most honorable member of society.

It is unlikely that someone wants him to treat people "inferior." That is why we are voluntarily involved in a daily race - regular study of headlines. Alas, it is now a requirement for those who want to be able to keep the conversation going and thereby maintain its status.

For thrills

The overwhelming majority of our lives - boring and predictable routine. And although most of us do not want themselves to this world there was something nasty like a world war or a global catastrophe, the other secretly hoping for a huge "boom".

The effects of large-scale tragedies and conflicts are not only pain and suffering, but also a novelty, the excitement and the great unity of all people. We follow the news with a double feeling, being in fear and at the same time hoping that will happen any foolishness.

In order to escape from themselves

Dive into the events that are happening in the international arena, helping us forget about their problems, which is full of our little personal universe. View the news is a kind of anesthesia for our brain. All the emotional turmoil that we're living in, temporarily forgotten and fade into the background.

"Taking into account the news - so bring the ear shell and be stunned by the roar of humanity" - subtly remarked Alain de Botton.

Same story with the television viewing, although they claim to informativeness and involve stimulation of thinking. They serve as an excellent background noise in those cases where you really want to isolate themselves from the problems and briefly escape.

In order not to get lost

Today the world is moving forward with such a rapid rate that keep track of everything going on is getting harder and harder: Governments have been overthrown in a week, the policy is not followed by the promised rate, constantly there are any new developments in the field of science and technology.

We not only want to be left behind - to be in the company of the very person who is unfamiliar with happening around - we are afraid to miss out as a kind of discovery that would forever turn the our life.

Deep down, we all believe that if only we found the right diet, observe the day mode or set the perfect for time management application, we finally managed to become successful, to achieve all the goals and maybe even escape death.

If we consider the news as a modern religion, it can be assumed that this kind of faith, which is based on continuous progress. We follow the news in the hope of learning recipe for a happy and long life. And the media would have us believe that he is still there, washing our brains successive ducks like these:

• Scientists have discovered a previously unknown advantages daily consumption of red wine.
• Sensation! Gene therapy is still running.
• You will be surprised to know how useful is actually walnuts.

In related news, all this is presented with incredible reverence reminiscent of the one that inspired the pious Catholic pilgrims to touch the shin of Mary Magdalene in the hope guarantee yourself with this constant divine protection. At a time when the news flow like smooth flow, many anxiously ask: "And what if suddenly there will be something important, and I still miss it?"

Become a "sober news" is possible, but is it necessary?

Even if we do not follow the news on the reasons, which say that so bad about that from time to time to obtain important and interesting information?

From time to time - of course, nothing wrong.

Sounds good: to give up all the news immediately and not to miscalculate. This approach gives inner satisfaction. And at the same time you will have something to show off to friends. This solution is akin to what you suddenly stop there meat or watch TV.

Many famous personalities also went into "information eyeballs."

American philosopher Henry David Thoreau (Henry David Thoreau) implored the audience: "Do not read the Times. Read the eternal. " And Thomas Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson) echoed: "I do not pick up a single newspaper, and certainly do not read them every month, so feel infinitely happy."

Let these people and had little love for the press, they still do not cut themselves off from the world of news completely. All of them had an idea of ​​what is happening from the correspondence or conversations.

Thoreau knew enough to protest against slavery and the Mexican-American War and Jefferson was informed so good that even managed to become the third president USA.

The same thing is happening now with the so-called self-proclaimed "news teetotalers." It turns out that this is abstinence based on their own definition of "news." They consume a little bit of information from a single source and avoids all the others. This is called a conscious choice, not a complete isolation. Eventually becoming the filtering of information, but not a complete rejection of it.

Once you honestly admit his reasons for news consumption, you will immediately cease to believe in themselves, they represent some value. You will no longer give them serious importance and keep track of them just because everyone is doing.

You can choose what type of content to consume. However, preferring something consciously, it is necessary to take into account the factor that you leave yourself less time on other consumption.

Try to perceive the news as entertainment with rare educational material. For example, in a ratio of 9 to 1. Then you can easily focus their importance and pushes part of the action.

I do not know of any truly creative person who would be in this case the information addict and not a writer, composer, mathematician, physician, scientist, musician, designer, architect or artist. On the other hand, I know a lot of people deprived of their creative edge, which absorb the news as drugs.

I just can not imagine how to come up with a new idea, constantly distracted by the news. If you are looking for new solutions, do not read them.

Dobell Rolf (Rolf Dobelli), author and businessman

Personal example and conclusions

There is no uniform for all the instructions on how much time and attention should be paid to the news, sitting on an "information diet", but that's how much I spend on them.

I scan the headlines of news sites and pages of the city newspaper several times a day and sometimes in the morning listening to the radio, when going to work or going behind the wheel. This allows me to keep up a conversation with other people and at the same time recognize that not happen if something that affects the scope of my personal or professional interests.

A huge amount of data, I passed through a most often does not concern me, but sometimes there are exceptions. For example, I wrote a member of the city council, when the conversation turned for permission to build a shopping center on the wildlife area adjacent to the city.

I spend a little time ago to follow the national policy and the race. And just because where I live, I was very limited in this. Oklahoma - State in which absolutely does not matter who I vote for, and whether it will vote - we still choose congressional Republicans. If I lived in a less politically oriented state, I would have paid more attention to this issue, because such news for me personally.

Even less time I spend on international news. I know that familiarization with them supposedly is one of the features of citizen-cosmopolitan. But from a purely practical point of view, such knowledge is useless to me. This is just information for the sake of information, and I do not see the point.

In general, if you count the time devoted to reading and listening to the news, then everything about everything it takes me about thirty minutes. I almost do not click on the links to advertising sites, do not watch reality shows and television news. The time that I remain, I spend reading books on topics of interest to me.

Works on philosophy, history, sociology, science, and other fields of knowledge much more instructive and useful to me as a person than the news that lose their relevance every 24 hours.

Books remain relevant for several years and even centuries and nourish the mind as no news never can.

At the same time, the book not only give knowledge in a particular area, they contain a variety of thought patterns that allow a better understanding of what... tell the news.