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News
Original poster

Good News.

29 replies

Pann · 15/02/2007 21:42

News today included a Scots woman conquoring Everest, after cycling from the Dead Sea (lowest earthly point to highest earthly point).

Weather stayed fine here in the Peaks.

78 people led to safety after ending of aircraft highjack in the arrest of a man.

I spent the day with my younger sis, dd, and dd's two cousins.

Organised a day with my friend over from Canada, and her 5 month old, for a week on Saturday.

Do we EVER make effort to manage the types of 'news' we make, or come accross? The blisteringly misery of the items in the past couple of days has really focussed me on the question. Do we habitually, and seemingly powerlessly, allow the agents of news dictate how we will feel about the world on any given day?

OR do we consciously 'manage' the news to keep it's effect in proportion to the rest of our lives, and consider our own intimacies of life as 'news'.

Anyone.

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Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 21:51

not to ignore 'bad news' , but do we employ any gambits to balance the deleterous effects of the news of other's dreadful behaviour, over which we have no immediate control, but psychologically suffer the consequences of hearing about it.

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Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:04

Should this have gone in the HEALTH section?

Or the WTF IS PANN ON ABOUT section?

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Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:05

interesting point you raise there Pann.

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lulumama · 15/02/2007 22:06

erm, did you mean to start a 'let;s all share some good news or something we are thankful for type thread'?

although am liking 'blisteringly misery' as a description

Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:09

Hurray!!!!!!!

no, not a sort of feeble good news thing, but a healthy "how does one determine how to insulate oneself from the excesses of bad news" type thing. Can we ineffect choose our own news and healthily manage the v. bad stuff. Type thing.

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Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:11

or atleast respond healthily to bad news.

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donnie · 15/02/2007 22:11

'blisteringly misery' is a nonsensical phrase. 'blistering misery' would make sense, however, as would 'blisteringly miserable'. This sounds like it could potentially be an interesting thread but it requires clarity of expression! sorry if I seem pedantic but I don't understand the OP.

Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:12

that is what I meant donnie. thanks.

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lulumama · 15/02/2007 22:14

well, yes pann,

if we never watch TV, rad a paper or periodical or in fact leave the house or switch on a computer or radio , we can certainly insulate ourselves from the insidious badness that seems to be around....but i think by default, you would miss all the good and positive things too

there does seem to be an emphasis on the bad, and the good bit of the news is a 10 second 'and finally' bit , thereby implying the bad shit is vastly more important!

or summat

i dunno

tis late

i am probably talking bolleaux

but at least you are not talking to yourself now!

LittleBoSheep · 15/02/2007 22:14

Im sure plenty of good things happen every day...for some reason they dont seem to be considered NEWS any more.

When then news gets too bad and throws me into a massive sleepless "what kind of world are my children growing up into" I have a news blackout. A few days and I generally feel much better.

lulumama · 15/02/2007 22:14

BTW , i knew what you meant re blisteringly misery

Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:14

I am speculating. There will be a way or ways of doing this as a 'good practice' to adopt. Looking for ideas.

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lulumama · 15/02/2007 22:16

there should be a happy medium between being aware of the world as it is , and also a sweet fluffy lala land where all is rosy and nice !

donnie · 15/02/2007 22:19

there definitely is an emphasis on the darker side of life and horrible events around the world.I suppose good news just doesn't shock enough - and people like to be shocked, that's the principle upon which all tabloids and even the broadsheets - sadly - operate these days IMO. And it is also easy to get bogged down in awfulness: I am particularly affected by reports about abused/ murdered children, as are many Mners.

I never really though about my own seemingly trivial life's events as 'news' but actually they are, as Pann suggests. It's just that they are normal and unshocking things!

Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 22:27

yes, d. They are 'your news' today. Do we use that to balance things? They are events/images which you have some control over.

there is alot more to it though..I suspect..that can be practiced.

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Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 23:19

A cue may be in the tsunami of Dec 05. Mass destruction of life and homes. Nothing one could do to stop it. But millions responded positively to that incident. Countries in desperate circs., unable to feed their own peoples. Economic aid, sometimes controversially, is supplied.

Horrors of past two days cues many parents kissing and cuddling their own little ones more keenly and in addition to 'usual' affections.

not suggesting always 'good' comes out of 'bad'...but they are egs of how we attempt to effectively manage our reactions to devastating news.

Do we develop these themes, say to economic news, health news? Actively analyse and apply our responses, rather than being 'victims' of news maangement agencies and what they choose to tell us.

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paulaplumpbottom · 15/02/2007 23:43

I think Lulumama. You can't paint this world rosie when there is so much hurt and grief. Its not good to turn a blind eye to the bad things. They will just creep up to your doorstep if you do.

paulaplumpbottom · 15/02/2007 23:43

Sorry, I agree with Lulumama

Megglevache · 15/02/2007 23:46

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Pann · 15/02/2007 23:52

suspect I am groping a way toward a 'model' of how to react well to various peices of information that arrive, unbidden, to our senses, usually by way of news media.

and how the intimacies of our 'own daily news' knits in with that.

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Original poster
Pann · 16/02/2007 00:00

"I am groping a way toward a 'model' " - could have put that better....

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Ulysees · 16/02/2007 00:00

Do you ever find yourself reacting how you think you 'should' react to news even though what's going on in your own life is totally taking over your thoughts? I'll be honest I try to put myself into a bubble sometimes lately as my own personal life and the lives of my friends and family are pretty rough. Just found out today my sister has cancer, the day when my late sister who died of cancer should have been celebrating her 54th birthday. Of all the days for surviving sis to find out? Now this is what I mean, so much shit in my life, even more than this, and I try to ignore media things. Don't think I could cope right now tbh? I know that may sound insensitive but it's my survival technique (for now).

Original poster
Pann · 16/02/2007 00:09

yes, Ulysees. Truely tragic, and I am really sorry for you and yours. This is so unfair.

It's an element as well as to what I am banging on about. This is news-of-a-lifetime. Literally. The rest of the world just stops. I am sorry.

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colditz · 16/02/2007 00:13

I can and will turn a blind eye to the bad things. I know NOTHING about that 2 year old thing except that it was murdered, because I saw the headline and stopped reading, and I don't watch the news.

I won't have my moods decided for me by the media thank you very much. They choose what to report, and how; well, I choose what to absorb.

Original poster
Pann · 16/02/2007 00:15

My mother died when I was nine, and I very distinctly remember watching the news that evening, with a half-expectancy that her death will be a news item. But also knowing that it wouldn't be. It was 'our' news and nobody elses.

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