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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"Oh I never watch the news"

408 replies

oklumberjack · 01/09/2016 09:29

Ok, I feeling really judgemental about this I'll admit, but here goes.

I went out for dinner this week with some school mum's from the primary my dd has just left. These women are acquaintances of mine. Nice women, friendly but I don't consider them my closest friends.

Over the course of lunch, we were discussing our summer etc. I mentioned the Olympics and something about Theresa May. They all looked blankly at me. All 5 of them said they hadn't seen any Olympics and had no idea how we'd done. 3 of them had not even heard of Theresa May. The conversation then got on to how they never watch the news, or read a newspaper or even access it online. As soon as news comes on they turn over. I was shocked. I kept very quiet that I'm a Radio 4 and 5live listener, avid Daily Politics watcher and rather enjoyed watching the cycling,rowing and diving at the Olympics on the BBC.

However they could tell me all about Love Island, Big Brother and TOWIE which is where the conversation went next. I felt really out of place. They seemed to think that being interested in the news made you some kind of snob.

Ok, so we're out of step in what we like. We probably won't hang out much in the future, however please tell me I'm not really unusual in checking in with the news at least twice a day!

OP posts:
Spaghettidog · 01/09/2016 10:53

I still think Soubriquet is joking. No one who chooses a variant form of 'sobriquet' as a username doesn't know who the PM is.

NNChangeAgain · 01/09/2016 10:54

umbongo I can't speak for the OP, but I don't think people who "tune out" current affairs from their life are stupid - however, I do think it is a shortsighted attitude.

Awareness of current affairs can help individuals and families make plans and decisions.

A family who are unaware of international current affairs may be persuaded by the recent Tourism promotion by the Syrian Government and plan a two week holiday in the sun in Syria!

One of my favourite quotes is "it wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark". By staying up to date with current affairs, predicting how it may impact on you as a family, you may avert disaster.

I struggle to have respect for people who lurch from predictable crisis to predictable crisis, I'm afraid.

Theoretician · 01/09/2016 10:54

I don't really watch live news any more, mainly because I've got out of the habit of watching live TV (other than sports) since getting Sky+.

I do read newspapers online though, so know what's going on.

I do think there's something to be said for mostly ignoring the news. 99% of it you really don't need to know, and it is depressing. My father read real newspapers, however when he was in his late 70's I asked him if he'd seen the news, as a prelude to talking about something, and he said he wasn't interested in what was going on in the world, only what was going on in his world. I think he may have had a point.

Original poster
oklumberjack · 01/09/2016 10:55

I couldn't agree more with your last post Lurking.
It was definitely insisted that I was a snob for even being interested in the news.

OP posts:
Original poster
oklumberjack · 01/09/2016 10:55

*insinuated not insisted.

OP posts:
Theoretician · 01/09/2016 10:56

I think TV news is mostly obsolete. A communications channel where you have no editorial control over what goes into your brain seems archaic, compared to using the internet.

Original poster
oklumberjack · 01/09/2016 10:58

I think it's good to use many different outlets for news. Online is still written content by people with their own opinions.

OP posts:
SinisterBumFacedCat · 01/09/2016 10:58

I don't think YANBU or that you are unusual OP. I find it quite depressing that people are so uninterested in world events and honestly think they have no effect or impact on their lives, ofcourse it does. Rolling news though is too much.

I also enjoy Big Brother and Facebook.

IsMyUserNameRubbish · 01/09/2016 10:58

I'm going to wrap my bit up now, places to go, people to see. This thread reminds me of the type of people that, if you don't like what they like then you're an ignorant idiot, they force their opinions on you and you must be daft if you don't agree, they seem stressed out because you don't do what they do, it must be with watching all that aggressive news. At the end of the day, who the heck cares? Watch the news if you want, watch it all day but take a break, take a deep breath and relax. I don't care what anyone says, I'll never read a newspaper or watch the news again, I don't want to see animals abused, or children being hurt, or innocent people murdered in the name of religion, but that's me, I won't be watching but I know what's what around me, and that's all that matters to me, so you all have a good day and take care.

OliviaBensonOnAGoodDay · 01/09/2016 10:59

I have friends like this. They live in their own bubble, where they take no notice of anything that doesn't directly affect them.

Watching the news is 'depressing' apparently. Probably worse for the poor buggers on there.

MidniteScribbler · 01/09/2016 10:59

This reminds me of the mother of one of my students a few years back. She was adamant that her 11 year old didn't see any news, didn't know about current affairs. She came in one day to see me, she was absolutely furious. "How dare you use the classroom to spread your political messages!" "Erhmmm?" "My son comes home saying how Australia is a bicameral country, and I won't have you peddling such politics to easily influenced young minds." There's just no reasoning with stupidity.

Original poster
oklumberjack · 01/09/2016 11:00

I like live Radio, especially for political discussion. If a politico is talking live, they're saying exactly what they're saying. Straight from the horses mouth.

OP posts:
TotalConfucius · 01/09/2016 11:00

We have the news on over breakfast, and over weeknight dinners (we rondezvous at the kitchen table at 6 in the week), in this house of teen dcs. I know they have virtually limitless access to whatever news they want online but I don't think you get the debate side of it.
I especially think DD (14) is probably better informed on current affairs than many of her peers, mostly because all her life she has overheard DH and I discussing/disagreeing/agreeing to disagree and she has moved on to debate too.
The rest of the time I am too busy for 'debate' as I watch all the soaps (except Hollyoaks), love soppy programmes about cute animals, and am already looking forward to I'm a Celeb. And Dd is too busy drooling over her 5 SOS posters.

Original poster
oklumberjack · 01/09/2016 11:01

I love a bit of Dance Moms Wink

OP posts:
jumpjumpformylove · 01/09/2016 11:03

Apple - I find a lot of people who consider themselves to be politically aware are simply repeating the same opinion of someone they've heard on TV, so it doesn't really make them any cleverer; just a good parrot. I love someone who sounds like they have their own mind and ideas, but they are rare.

So, your idea of an experiment of making one person watch the news and the other TOWIE - would it really make the news watcher a better person? When it comes to politics, isn't it all just a bit of a soap opera? Boris mumbling, Sam Cam's choice of dress designer, Trump tooting his own horn, Farage's moustache. I think I'd go mad after two hours a day of either.

RhodaBull · 01/09/2016 11:03

The person who mentioned that the OP's acquaintances were state school parents should experience dh's colleagues' wives - totally public school people. At an awkward works do when I said I spent a lot of time reading they all brayed that they hadn't read a book in years - apart from 50 Shades of Grey (cue much guffawing) and that they were far too busy to read a paper. I felt like Madge in the company of ten Dame Ednas.

hollinhurst84 · 01/09/2016 11:05

I don't specifically watch/listen/read the news but it's on 24/7 at work so I see some of it

NNChangeAgain · 01/09/2016 11:07

your idea of an experiment of making one person watch the news and the other TOWIE - would it really make the news watcher a better person

When it comes to making decisions that effect me, including voting in local and national elections, I would have far more faith in the person who was aware of current affairs.

Placing my fate in the hands of someone who is ill informed about current affairs would be a risk!

MrsJoeyMaynard · 01/09/2016 11:08

When it comes to politics, isn't it all just a bit of a soap opera?

It can certainly feel like it sometimes, yes. But the politicians are the people who make the laws and policies that directly affect the lives of everyone in this country. They're not just there to entertain us, unlike the stars of TOWIE.

herecomesthsun · 01/09/2016 11:11

I never watch the news but then watch very little TV. I do listen to what I can snatch of the Today programme and read the Guardian online and BBC online though.

Bluecarrot · 01/09/2016 11:11

I found watching the news generally quite distressing unless it's the local news "local interest" stories. I like my bubble! Sometimes I think I should be more invested but I like my here and now. Maybe when I'm older I'll watch it! (I don't watch much tv now. Maybe the odd docu on demand!)

Cherryskypie · 01/09/2016 11:12

Jesus MidnightScribbler! Did you hit her over the head with a dictionary?

allegretto · 01/09/2016 11:15

If you don't watch/read/listen to any news then you ARE ignorant - in the true sense of the word. If you are happy with this then fine but please don't vote without at least some idea of what is happening in society. I never watch the news but I do liste to it and read it.

Letmesleepalready · 01/09/2016 11:16

News is mostly depressing, I'll catch the big headlines through MN or what's trending on FB. But I walk out of the room when DH is watching the news.

NotMe321 · 01/09/2016 11:16

I wonder how people who never watch the news actually manage to function? It is, after all, useful to know that, say, trains aren't going to run on a given day due to a strike rather than to plan your whole day out and rock up at the station only to discover then that it's impossible. Or if, say, a major health scare is happening, it might be better to know about it so you can take precautions rather than waiting till you keel over because you've caught something totally avoidable. Don't people wonder why their local hospitals are closing down or whether they can do something to prevent that? When they go abroad after Brexit, if they don't know it's happened they're going to be joining the EU citizens' queue at passport control and getting an ugly shock.