With that in mind, I'm about to curtail my awareness of the outside world significantly. On purpose.
I'm going to go NEWS FREE in February.
I'm a huge news junkie. I check news sources (CNN, Washington Post, HuffPo, even FOX News) throughout the day -- on the bus ride to and from work, at my desk, whenever I need a break. I read the Washington Post Express on the way to work and continue following news sites when I'm home at night. I follow a good bunch of blogs that cover current events.
But I'm giving that up for the month of February, 2011.
Why? For one thing, I'm curious what effect it will have on me and my productivity. I'm going to try to use the new free time to read, reflect, and think.
Another reason is the intense frustration the news brings to my life. We are in a time unparalleled in my experience. A time when a minority of radical interests is dominating the political dialogue with ignorance, bias, and hatred. When the financial gap between the rich and the poor has never been greater, but we continue to give handouts to the rich and screw the poor. When America's foreign policy seems to start and stop at the point of a gun and we can't seem to stop imperialistic adventures that cost us over a trillion dollars while the idiots in Congress want to cut vital social services for the poor, sick and elderly. We live in a backwards, crazy time. And I find following it to be incredibly draining.
Anyway, I'm giving it all up for one month. Here's what I'm doing:
- Not reading any newspapers
- Not surfing news web sites
- Not reading news-related blogs
- Not watching TV news shows
- Not (sob) watching the Daily Show or SNL news
Giving up some of these will be very hard to do; I fully understand that. I'm also giving up something I value highly, awareness of what's going on. And I may miss some important developments in the world.
The world will have to do without me for a bit.
I'm hoping that I will be less stressed, more relaxed, and will be able to finish some longstanding projects. I hope to post some more fun and personal blog entries. And I'll definitely keep this blog up to date on my progress.
I'll start officially at midnight on Feb. 1.
9 comments:
All or nothing, hunh? There is this thing you may want to try called moderation. Google it.
It's not that I'm ODing on news (even though I am a junkie). It's more that it's distracting and frustrating. In any event, I don't plan on making it permanent. Just want to see what it's like. It's not as if the world will go away if I don't pay attention to it.
Right?
I dunno, maybe.
And you JUST HAPPENED to pick Black History Month? Are you sure you're not a Republican?
So you are picking the month where Egypt is melting down, UFOs all over Scotland and Charlie Sheen is in the hospital???
Hey, Black History is history, not news! Except to Republicans, of course.
I picked February because (1) it's the shortest month, (2) it's the soonest month, and (3) there is ALWAYS going to be something going on. I'm hoping that when I resume newswatching in March, Egypt will have held new free elections, UFOs will have come to take all conservatives to their homeworld for a feast, and Charlie Sheen will no longer be famous.
You're giving up the DAILY SHOW!!!????
Yeah, giving up the Daily Show has been the hardest part.
I did this a couple of years ago and haven't gone back. The good news is that I have a lot less frustration in my life. The bad news is that I'm not as engaged as I should be. It's difficult to find a balance.
Good luck!
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