To think ignorance is bliss?

[Birdylade]

After being an avid Guardian reader, news watcher and general media fiend I have come to the conclusion that ignorance is bliss and have therefore decided to stop reading the paper, watching the news & reading magazines for the next month.

I am tired of feeling anxious about the awful things that happen to strangers which have very little if any bearing on my life, comparing myself to women I don't know, lusting after clothes I can't afford.

I believe that ignorance is bliss and it won't turn me into a narrow minded parochial bigot, aibu?!

Oh Tee, someone's tetchy. Perhaps you could point out the bullshit then?

I have been cutting down. I am of an age where some news seems to go round in circles, such as dieting issues, smoking issues, alchohol issues.And some news even seems to be going backwards, such as news that there is research being done to prove that if pilots work very long hours, they wont be such good pilots!!!

YANBU

I used to be a news junkie, but have recently cut down drastically. I feel far happier for it.

YANBU. Stay informed via a broadsheet, perhaps the 20p Indie, but 99% of what I used to live and breath was bullshit and bad for my mental health.

So what if you're not as well informed as the next man? Unless you work in policy or news broadcasting there is no need to know everything about everything- you watch next time you hear someone in real life really giving an in depth analysis of Current Events and I bet it'll be some fat drunk bloke at a dinner party with his own agenda. It's just vanity! Enjoy your garden and reading [bugrin]

Day one of no news and I feel happier already, although this could be something to do with the chocolate.... [bugrin]

I havn't dont this for years. I have never liked womens magazines and when I see the front covers at the checkout with their labelling of women by their size I am glad. I care not which celebrity is shagging who, how much they spend on clothes or whatever.

I dont watch the news and only occasionally buy the local paper, if I see something on FB/Mn that is in the news I may go and have a look online.

I do have a problem as to how things are reported ie the dreadfull bus crash with the Belgian school age pupils. I read the links on MN but then regretted it due to the 'oh look at all the blood down the side of the coach' reported in the Daily Mail which was just not needed and I think disresepctful to the victims families. Also some of the wording could be more thoughtful, is it really necessary to caption a photo as 'all the hearses carrying the remains

I feel caught not wanting to buy into the voyueristic element of news reporting so have found the only way at the moment is to not bother at all

oldraver - do you find you feel happier in general?

I think in general ignorance is a Very Bad Thing. If you look at the most hateful and selfish people in any society, they are usually incredibly ignorant. Ignorance also helps politicians get away with insanely damaging policies and decisions. And, I think shutting out the rest of the world encourages a more selfish outlook on life.

I am kind of floored tbh that anyone in 21st century Britain can think what happens in the news doesn't affect them. Your country is at war and in a recession, really you think that has no impact on your life? You don't want to keep tabs on your leaders to make sure they are handling things well, so that you can vote on an informed basis next time around?

If the news is distressing you so much then you need to find better sources of news, not give up on news completely. Forget the DM, all tabloids, sky news, even the Guardian is not so great. Read a news magazine once a month or find a couple blogs that filter the news in a way you like.

I think that it is important to be very picky about what you read, for good mental health. When i went through a very Buddhist stage i gave up all media (as is suggested).

Listening and understanding skills are important, if you do not mix with a diverse amount of people, so that you understand what people around you, who have different sets of problems, disability, carers etc, have to live with.

Either that or don't give an opinion or be judgemental towards others, because, you don't know enough to be able to speak about a topic.

It often surprises me how little some people know about everyday matters, life with disability, poverty, unemployment, life in general etc and it worries me that these people are still entitled to vote, tbh.

Just to add, that political policies/war goes round in circles, so knowledge can be gained from books, also.

I opted out of buying newspapers and watching tv news a couple of years ago. I've never bought womens glossies etc anyway. To be honest there's only so much one can absorb and process in addition to what's going on in your own life, and there's nothing I can do about 99% of what's on the news, so right now I don't buy into it. I read some of the online broadsheets on an occasional basis and will always pick up a paper and read it if I'm in a coffee shop or something like that. And very, very occasionally I'll buy a copy of the Economist or New Scientist, both of which are infinitely better than most newspapers.

Birdsgottafly - interesting that it is suggested in Buddhism, I spent 6 years living in a Buddhist country when I was young younger so perhaps it's rubbed off!

sparkle12mar08 - I love reading new scientist too