Turning Off the News

A Harvard-educated health guru, Dr. Andrew Weil, who has been at the University of Arizona, gave a series of lectures on how to be healthy and happy. He told us the many steps we could take to lead a better life.

One of the first things he advised is for us to stop watching and reading the news. I couldn't understand how being well informed could cause stress and unhappiness.

I have been a columnist for more than a decade and watched the news in order to comment on the events. Up until recently, I watched the national news every night. I watched ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN (when in a waiting room with no other choices) and read the Huffpost, the NY Times, and the Washington Post. I prerecorded the T.V. news shows so I could watch a 30 minute program in about 10 or 15. Some of the news is the same in all the mainstream media, so it can be fast forwarded after seeing it once already. 

I have long realized that the mainstream media is focused on being sensational, superficial and subjective (read biased)

Every night there is a story of a plane crash with the occasional train, bus or ship disaster. It makes me want to stay home. Then there are the weather crises. They report on flooding, mudslides, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and forest fires. There are reports of temperatures that are higher or lower than normal. It makes those of us in mild climates feel relieved that the problems are far away, and are willing to pay more for the privilege. These events provide the media with sensational and superficial reporting.

There is usually a human tragedy. A child is missing. A woman is found to have been raped and murdered. A couple is found to have kept children locked in closets, starving them or chaining them. This is being reported with greater frequency to remind us that there are monsters in the world, and to be sensational.

The news also includes scenes from the continuous wars in the Middle East. We see pictures of dead bodies, children suffering from a chemical weapon attack in Syria, years after President Obama forced Syria to get rid of all of them.  We see cities destroyed by bombings, people starving and brutally cruel terrorists.

But lately, before we watch the terrible news about our world, the media must start with a story about President Trump, with rarely, if ever, has a good thing to say about his administration. They seem to report only the negative and not the beneficial - this has all three journalistic objectives.

The latest political reports take the cake. They represent  the ultimate example the media's intent to be sensational, superficial and subjective. 

An excellent juror was opposed before he was even named. He was conservative and that was bad enough for the Democratic minority and the media. When he was named, he was questioned for long hours over several days. The opposition could not find any way to deny his appointment. At the last minute, a woman came out that she was kissed and fondled against her will 36 years ago when the accused judge was 17 years old. The attempt was transparent and unimportant. Anyone with a brain would take issue with such a claim which was denied by the judge and witnesses. Even if it were true, it is unimportant 36 years after the alleged fact. But then the media, the Democrats and a few confused Republicans pretended that this was important and should be further investigated, delaying the vote on the judge, and hoping to end his candidacy with not enough time to appoint another. Even the very liberal Supreme Court Judge, Ruth Ginsberg, objected to this treatment. The Democrats were disgraceful but not to the media, which found this sensational, superficial and subjective, their three journalistic goals.

So I am not watching or reading the news, (except for the Wall Street Journal).  It's too depressing, biased and therefore, objectionable.

Dr. Weil was right and I am finally taking his sage advice.