[rant mode: ON]
It’s official! The world may end but I will learn of it only when the end reaches me. Or perhaps when a caring friend or neighbour lets me know what’s happening.
The reason?
It’s because I am now officially boycotting all radio, TV and other public news media until further notice.
For some time now it’s been a scary, hairy and anger-producing or anxiety-raising experience listening to the news or reading the newspaper. It’s all gloom, doom and fear-mongering, with nary a good news story or uplifting moment of the human spirit in sight.
Whether the news is global, national or local doesn’t really matter. Oh, there may be a few heart-warming success stories in a local paper. But even there I’m bombarded with all the bad news. Break-ins and car thefts on the rise. Feral cats decimating our wildlife. An elderly gentleman forced out of his home. Youngsters vandalising a local school. The list goes on!
And I’m afraid the recent news coverage about the Martin Place siege and deaths has been the final straw. Yes, ok … so some of the reporting has held the voice of reason and been good, objective journalism. But the majority has been coloured by hyperbole and hysteria – some even with the ravings of hatred and bigotry.
I do not mean to sound naive or overly simplistic! There is evil in this world after all. There is a dark side to human nature. And horrendous things do happen to shock or shame us.
But there’s a balance! There is yin and yang in all things – darkness and light. “Man’s inhumanity to man” co-exists with generosity of spirit and the most inspiring of human endeavours.
So I’m sick and tired of the way in which our public and commercial media ignore this balance and give us such a lopsided view.
And is it just me, or does this seem to be getting worse? Is the shock-horror-fright engendering factor on the rise? From where I sit, it certainly appears that way!
So … I’m sorry but that’s it! I may not be taking a hammer to my TV. But the boycott is on!
I realise there will be some headlines and snippets of news that will come my way so I won’t miss out on all the news. But for now I’m taking care of my mental health and staying away from the fear-filled lunacy that is our public media!
[rant mode: OFF]
But hey … if the end of the world is nigh after all, you will let me know, won’t you? :)
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