Excellent piece. I am always interested in the why not the what, so columnist that help make sense of what is happening allows for going deep without the rage bait news. eg Heather Cox Richardson. I agree, we do need those cultural moments like when the last episode of MASH was broadcast.
Book editor! A classic "man of letters" job. Good. Have you ever read the series of novels by Anthony Powell called A Dance to the Music of Time? The narrator held a position editing some obscure journal. Seemed to leave him a lot of time to pursue other interests! And seriously, while you're on vacation, you might like Powell's The Afternoon Men (not in the series). It has a desert-dry sense of humor you might enjoy.
I agree we need to have a balance of News consumption but to be able to turn away or turn off the tv, is a privilege.
I as an active member of society that is deemed affected by the everyday news situation, whether locally or geopolitically, wish I can cut off the news and be able to keep my sanity.
Unfortunately some of us do not have that option. Hence we are in a situation where some are actively living the news and some of us have the privilege to live in comfort of denial.
Being disabled often means fewer choices on how to spend one's time. X, Bluesky, and FB can become one's connection to the outside world. And therein lies the danger. There's a lot of anger contained in many of the posts.
Excellent piece. I am always interested in the why not the what, so columnist that help make sense of what is happening allows for going deep without the rage bait news. eg Heather Cox Richardson. I agree, we do need those cultural moments like when the last episode of MASH was broadcast.
Book editor! A classic "man of letters" job. Good. Have you ever read the series of novels by Anthony Powell called A Dance to the Music of Time? The narrator held a position editing some obscure journal. Seemed to leave him a lot of time to pursue other interests! And seriously, while you're on vacation, you might like Powell's The Afternoon Men (not in the series). It has a desert-dry sense of humor you might enjoy.
I have mixed feelings about this.
I agree we need to have a balance of News consumption but to be able to turn away or turn off the tv, is a privilege.
I as an active member of society that is deemed affected by the everyday news situation, whether locally or geopolitically, wish I can cut off the news and be able to keep my sanity.
Unfortunately some of us do not have that option. Hence we are in a situation where some are actively living the news and some of us have the privilege to live in comfort of denial.
Being disabled often means fewer choices on how to spend one's time. X, Bluesky, and FB can become one's connection to the outside world. And therein lies the danger. There's a lot of anger contained in many of the posts.
The compulsion to have to consume the fire hose output is difficult to resist.
Mostly I just scan the headlines and only read further if it appears to have something fairly novel or is on a topic I have a special interest in.
Because mostly there's nothing new under the sun.
This is smart and helpful, thank you. 🙏