What's with the news? TV newscasts (and news channels) seem to be worse than radio broadcasts and radio is worse than newspapers. What am I talking about? Bad news. So, how does our BRAIN feel about watching the news?
The Merriam -Webster definition of the word NEWS is:
a : a report of recent events
b : previously unknown information
c : something having a specified influence or effect
This definition seems fairly harmless and neutral; news isn't only BAD. Why then are newscasts generally so negative and stressful?
Our eyes and ears are taking in 'STRESS MESSAGES' and, even though we're usually far removed from the events, we humans will be experiencing, connecting, sensing and feeling them. I can almost feel my brain bending toward judgement, negativity, outrage, shock, fear and stress.
You might be THINKING that it's important to know what's going on in the world and I may be WONDERING if I'm taking things too seriously or overreacting, but for the most part the news doesn't really influence me enough to take action, to grow.
There are 7.4 BILLION PEOPLE on the planet, many of whom move through their lives creating, designing, inspiring, discovering, assisting, loving, inventing and exploring, and the newscasts can barely muster up a couple of feel good stories-one of which tends to be the latest viral video from YouTube or Facebook. Here's a RHETORICAL QUESTION, and a topic for another day, does a newscast's content get built by ratings?
Okay, I don't want to live with my head in the sand but lately I've become more AWARE of what I feed my brain and as a seeker of NEWS I want it to nudge me forward in my life.
As I look for BETTER BALANCE I think I'll turn the TV off!