To think everyone should keep up with news and current affairs?

[Notcontent]

Recently on a thread there were lots of people who said they don’t read the news etc as they don’t really want to know about all the depressing things happening.

But I think this kind of “burying your head in the sand” attitude can be dangerous. I have come across lots of examples recently where people have been completely unaware of things that may impact them. People who have been victims of online scams who claim to have never heard of such scams. People who have no idea that energy prices are rising and have no idea why this is happening. Also lots of general information relating to life etc that we pick up from reading news, listening to the radio, etc.

There is probably some balance in there.

I don't watch news programs very often. It isn't good for my mh but generally am aware theough popups on social media

I think many people make these choices based on their own ability to handle the news. I usually keep up with what’s going on in the world but have times where I switch off from it for a while.

yes to a degree but once a day is enough endlessly reading and re reading covid stats, looming economic disaster, ukraine etc can affect peoples mental health,
I keep abreast of news but I need to sleep so i don't read news after 6pm, not because of upset but reading and thinking politics and statisitcs does not help me wind down in order to sleep, so I generally update in the morning and sometimes over lunch and chat about it with DH over lunch but news 24/7 is not healthy for most people

I don't watch the news as it is depressing but go on the BBC website to get a brief overview of what's going on every morning. Then i just get the headlines or can read more if it's relevant. I think it's a good compromise.

My friend is a single mum on benefits, always skint and didn't know about the rising energy costs, I was pretty shocked at that.

It is absolutely about balance. Of course an awareness is important but I don’t need or want to know the in’s and out’s of everything going on.

I lived like that during lockdown - watching every press conference, looking at the numbers each day etc. It didn’t change anything for me, I still followed lock down rules but mentally it was better not to know every detail

No because at the end of the day what can we actually do about most of these things?
Is there going to be a war, shall I text Putin and find out? See I can’t really do anything and constantly thinking about it won’t help my mental health.

Oh - I am not talking about obsessively watching the news several times a day. I don’t have a TV so I don’t watch the news in the same way that my parents did when I was a child. But I scan the headlines online (usually bbc news snd the guardian as no pay wall) and listen to radio 4 on catch up while doing housework.

Its why Brexit happened. People don't inform themselves and so can be more easily manipulated.

I think you have to balance the need to be informed with the impact on your mental health. I have an anxiety disorder, and am prone to what people call “doomscrolling”- so I purposely limit the amount of news I consume. I have one news website I will check once a week, and if I find myself hopping from article to article then I make myself go do something else. It’s improved my general mental health a surprising amount.

So yeah I do think people should stay informed but I certainly understand why people choose not to watch/read the news.

Yes, I think it's a habit schools have to encourage. It's a threat to democracy otherwise eg Brexit, current Tories, Trespass Bill.

But you do have to monitor your consumption.

Sorry - I didn’t make myself clear - I am talking about people who don’t even look at headlines and don’t engage at all with current affairs so don’t really know or understand what is happening around them - never mind Ukraine etc.

I agree people should have a basic awareness of whats going on.
I think there is a shocking amount of ignorance about current events.

YABU. People can do as they please.

My partner doesn't watch the news. It does make him ignorant to some things but it also makes him happier.

Plus a lot of news is pointless, biased or wrong.

So live and let live.

... Also I wish I had paid more attention to storm warnings this week. Because now I am flying on Thursday.

This thread made me think of someone I know. No idea who the prime minister is, what the government is up to. Doesn't vote, despite being someone who, for various reasons, could be quite affected by various government policies. Just oblivious.

Yes, I do think people should however I think people are put off by the sometimes argumentative nature of news media.

I read the headlines daily on BBC News app and will click a couple of stories. I pick things up on Mumsnet and I listen to a laid back political discussion podcast each week. I also listen to a bit of LBC most days. I no longer do twitter and i'm less aware of local news because I don't really do Facebook.

@BiggerBoat1

Its why Brexit happened. People don't inform themselves and so can be more easily manipulated.

No, Brexit happened because we weren't giving all of the information. No matter how much people read up on it, there were certain aspects that were never reported on, and some inaccurate campaigning.

If we were to have another referendum today, the result would be different. I'm sure of it.

I don't read newspapers, or watch the news. It's just depressing. I generally know what's going on in the world due to scrolling through social media, but I don't need nor want to seek out the information.
I'm not burying my head in the sand. I know the earth is shit right now. I'm best just trying to live my life happily without feel sad every day.

Yabu. It’s really mine off your concern how people choose to spend their time.

Quite frankly I couldn’t give a shit about Prince Andrew, covid or any of the other doom and gloom misery our press feel the need to make extremely dramatic and scare people, pushing panic buying and depression. There is never anything positive shared and I haven’t watched the news for about 10 years.

Watching the news won’t miraculously mean Ukraine and Russia will be friends again or the NHS is no longer on its knees.

Some of the happiest people I know have no idea what is going on in the world as they don’t listen or watch the news.
I have mental health issues and physically watching the news every day makes me so much worse. Actually seeing the images on the tv or online are big triggers for me. However, I listen to the radio all day so get my ‘fix’ from that, ‘hearing’ it is easier for me than actually visualising the news.
But I am actually most content when I’ve been away and have no idea what has been going on globally or locally.
I also don’t think you need to be up to date on the news when it comes to scams etc, just use your common sense.

OP "But I think this kind of “burying your head in the sand” attitude can be dangerous"

In what way? Everyone is different but if someone's about to invade my area, I am not someone who is going to escape to the hills with a survival pack. If you are, that's different.

I stopped buying newspapers and watching the news altogether about 5 years ago. It was too much stress and negativity on a daily basis. I wasn't avoiding all news. If I heard people talking that was fine.

I started following covid and it's spiralled again over the last few years. I'm about to revert to my stance 5 years ago that worked wonders on my mental health. Living In a bubble helps.

Certainly there’s a balance to be struck - news consumption can be addictive - but yes, I consider it a good quality when someone can chat about current affairs. God knows those in power would rather we didn’t, which is reason enough.

Maybe some people have enough crap going on in their personal life to worry about Prince Andrew/covid figures/whatever else happens to be in the headlines. Anyways, this was all covered in the thread you're referring to, so I'm not sure why you've started another one exactly the same.