Last night I was reminded of why I don’t watch the news. I don’t currently subscribe to the newspaper, cable, dish, or any type of news whatsoever. Some may think it is odd that I don’t care to be informed about the world, but I have my reasons. I don’t have aversions to all types of news, but I have found that a lot of news is not good or uplifting news. I actually quite enjoy my bubble. I figure my family and friends will let me know of anything super important, that affects me and my family. Perhaps it is wrong to rely on others to feed me the news I need, but I have found that the news affects me too much. I need to do what I need to do for me and my family.
I heard yesterday of the tragic mass shooting in Colorado. I am deeply saddened for the families of the victims. My heart aches with just the knowledge of this shooting, without having to read or watch the coverage. However, last night I was intrigued after hearing that a fellow blogger was among the dead. I don’t personally know this blogger, but I was curious enough to read her story. Reading her story only made me more saddened by this tragedy, and made me even more curious to watch much of the coverage and articles written about the event. I was on a particular website, which linked to more and more videos and articles. As the night was getting later, I found myself clicking from video to video and article to article, reading how and why someone might do that. My heart began to ache even more, and I began to feel very dark inside. Not dark as in evil, but my spirit was dampened, sad and even frightened for the safety of the people of my country.
The news affects me greatly. After reading and watching the information about this psychopath who felt the need to murder innocent people, I couldn’t go to sleep. This always happens to me after watching the news. I know the world is not always a safe place, but having that knowledge placed before me right before I go to sleep, is not exactly the kind of comforting thoughts I want or need, to fall asleep. If I am watching a television program at night (when I had cable), the news often comes on right when my shows end, and I jump out of my seat to hurry and turn the tv off, before I get those icky feelings of unsafety. Watching or reading, let alone hearing, about the sickos of this world gives me a huge sense of insecurity. I want to feel safe in my home, neighborhood, community, state, etc. I think we all want this, and deserve to have it. This doesn’t mean I think we should be naive of what is out there in this world. I am all too aware of what CAN happen. I try to prepare myself and my family the best that I can. After I read about these horrible stories, which are some people’s realities, I question whether or not I would recognize a psychopath in time to turn them in or run the other way. I hate that some people can take away our right to feel safe. Without getting too much into my feelings about guns and the right to carry, I’ll just say that I feel this way about guns too.
The other thing that greatly disturbed me about what I came across on the internet last night, is this timeline of mass shootings. It showed the year, where the shooting was, how many killed and last of all, a large picture of the murderer. I think this is exactly what these psychos want! We are giving them the attention and publicity that they want by doing something so grand. As sick as it is, I think they are proud of their work. This Colorado shooter for example, had this event very well planned. I believe he wants people to be impressed by his smarts, and to be known for something huge. Let’s not give them what they want!
So what happens when my curiosity gets the best of me and I indulge in the news, is that I feel incredibly unsafe and saddened. I can’t go to sleep when I feel like this. You may think I am strange, but the only way to get myself to calm down to sleep after this, is to watch a light-hearted show or movie. I have to lighten the mood and spirit in my house, so that I can put the scary real stuff in the back of my mind. This is what I did last night. After getting thoroughly saddened and frightened that something so horrifying can happen in our own communities, I watched an hour long show and didn’t get myself to sleep until well after 1am. This is why I don’t watch the news!
Krystle Colley says
I know Exactly how you feel. I dont have cable, i just have netflix. After Thursday nights incident i have been following the articles on the internet. It makes me so sick to my stomach. Its sad when we cant even take our children to a movie without having to worry. But i teach my children well about guns and i have my concealed weapons permit and i carry everywhere. I want to be able to protect my family. In my opinion, if more were carrying that night/morning..fewer people would have died and that murderer wouldn’t have made it out alive. i keep it in the back of my mind to be aware of my surroundings and to trust no one in public.. its getting worse everyday.. and even in my neighborhood i dont feel safe. i watch Scooby doo when i get upset and it helps me to calm down and stop pondering on the bad. you may think thats weird but cartoons help me so much : ). Take care and God bless.
Harleena Singh says
You sound quite like me Emily!
I am another person who keeps away from television as such and prefer doing my work. Things disturb me too and if I do get hooked onto, just as you did, it tends to affect me adversely. I also need to brush off such thoughts from my mind and divert my attention to other things and then can I sleep.
However, I do read the newspaper – the local ones we get at our end, just to keep in touch of things going around. I guess with growing kids, you need to match up and answer their questions too. But yes, gong into too much detail of such events troubles me a great deal and saddens me too. And then I waste time thinking about the incident for next 1-2 days as well, which affects my work.
Thanks for sharing, and you have a wonderful blog. 🙂
Emily Lyon says
That’s a good point about matching up answers with kids’ questions! I’m grateful for the internet (most days), for the fact we can research anything!
Emily Lyon says
Love that you watch Scoobie Doo!!
Michael "Scanner" Bradley says
Funny how similar we are in some things. I don’t have cable nor do I watch the news nor read the newspaper. I figure if something major is happening, I’ll hear about it from someone. But yes, there are certain things that get my attention. Admittedly the Colorado incident might not have grabbed my attention as much if it hadn’t taken place at a theater or at a showing of a movie I had intended to see… but once I heard about it I checked for more details as it became apparent topics were being discussed that I was getting dragged into for opinions. But that I was interested in this particular news is a seldom and isolated occurrence. There is so much that goes on in my life that unless it effects everyone or me directly, it’s not likely to be something I need to know. There are some who say that everything that goes on in our government effects everyone, and while this is true I do not feel that people control the government any longer and there is little I feel can be done (other than outright revolution) to change how our government works anymore, and while that’s another story, it’s one reason why politics in the news doesn’t interest me nor what goes on politically. Another reason is I feel the media (for the most part) is just so much disinformation and propaganda rather than being informative.
So, for the most part, if I want to know what’s going on, I’ll look it up. Otherwise, I’m don’t let the media spoon feed me events of the world. This is entirely my opinion and observation; for anyone reading it, you are entitled to agree or disagree with it at will. 🙂
Emily Lyon says
I feel the same way about the news Michael!