Having lunch with my friend Jeanne the conversation was going swimmingly until she mentioned how awful it was that all those people were hurt. What people I asked her. Didn’t you see the news? Umm, no, I rarely watch the news and we never have the television on during the day; barely in the evening either…all right, we don’t watch much at all.
Didn’t you read it in the paper? Umm, no I haven’t got around to reading the paper today. She was amazed. As an avid news watcher and newspaper reader, it’s unfathomable that there are people out there…namely me….oh and my darling one too…who are less than fascinated with ‘news’.
Since she was questioning me, naturally it led me to second guess myself. Is there something wrong here? Should I be an avid news watcher too? Perhaps I ought to at least be a teensy bit interested in what’s happening in the world. I thought about it for at least twenty seconds before coming to the conclusion that the way we lived our life was just fine with me. There were millions of happy people on this earth, who didn’t watch a television or read a newspaper. And hey…I can read!
Part of the challenge is knowing that whatever we immerse ourselves in becomes a part of our mind set. Whatever we accept as true, even fleetingly, becomes part of our consciousness and will be reflected in our world in some shape or form. And let’s face it the news is rarely uplifting or positive and is unlikely to bring lovely things into my world.
I remember hearing about a newsroom in Australia where it was decided they would run one positive story every Friday. Three weeks later the idea was shelved because the reporters said it was much too difficult to find one positive news item every week. Phew. The mind boggles. Well my mind was boggled.
Did Thoreau have it right when he said: “To a philosopher all news, as it is called, is gossip, and they who edit and read it are old women over their tea”.
Whether we believe that or not, given that our thoughts and feelings make and maintain the world in which we live it might be a good idea to be immersed in loving ideas and concepts, I know I’d rather that they be embodied in my world experience. Plus it feels so much better.
Maybe being an avid news watcher does bring Jeanne joy, in which case it’s a great choice for her. She’s my friend and I want her to feel happy.
I like joy too and the news doesn’t do it for me. I’m sure I’m less well informed than she is, but I’m okay with that. We’re all at choice…
Encourage one another.
Love Elle.
xoxo
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8 Comments
Great piece! I too stopped watching the news before the bedtime. In fact, I hardly watch it at all anymore. And I, like you am not a TV watcher. There’s just too much to do, to engage in and enjoy, than ‘wasting’ precious time watching. I’ll watch a movie sometimes.
When I’m listening to my motivational tapes in the car, I’ll tune in to a news station or talk show to hear what’s going on. And I also read The Week, a great little magazine that gives a short synopsis of the week’s happenings all over the world.
That’s so funny Harriet that you listen to motivational tapes in your car. My darling one has always said my car is a university on wheels!
Is it really “news”?…or just reportable misery.I could go on but I won’t..
be good to yourself
David
Now that made me laugh David…and that’s good news…for me!
Elle, there is a website, called the “Good News Network” that contains only good news, in case you are interested. Also, Darren Hardy, publisher of “Success” Magazine operates on the principle of focusing on the positive. If you do a Youtube search on him, you’ll find him talking about the negativity of the mainstream news media. Right along with what you are saying. Thanks for the article!
Interesting Victor…and what a lovely idea…I like it a lot. I’ll definitely take a look.
You hit the proverbial nails on their heads with; “whatever we immerse ourselves in” and ” what we believe to be true” .
We are all at choice, just as you wrote, as to what we accept as true and to what we anoint ourselves with. And to have in our worlds that make us feel good. Thank you.
Write on, Elle !
I like your phrase, ‘we anoint ourselves with’ sounds like the oil of gladness to me Joseph!