Post: #1

Nothing interesting ever happens. I have deleted all the newspapers and news sites from my bookmarks folder.

I am officially without news.

Anyone else ever given up the news?

It makes the world a more interesting place. It is fun starting a random conversation by asking if there have been any major terrorist attacks recently...

I figure I can barely keep up with the rest of my life without wasting hours searching through sites trying to find interesting shit that has happened recently.

It is a wheel that never stops turning. And most of it is uninteresting and unimportant within a day or two.

Post: #2

I did this in the 80s. I'm only concerned with what's going on in my town I can actually change things here and people have to listen to me

Post: #3

It is nice as well because it switches your brain from only focusing on the current issues and talking points that everybody else is thinking about.

Post: #4

Tim Ferriss mentioned in his 4 hour workweek book that he's on a low-information diet. I'm torn on this topic, because on one hand, I think an informed citizenry is the basis for a healthy democracy. On the other hand, we are overloaded with information, almost all of it gratuitous and of little lasting value. This is especially true in the era of social media where everyone feels they are going to "miss out" on something if they aren't constantly checking their FB and Twitter accounts. I tend to leave NPR on in the background to listen to while I'm doing other tasks. I can hear the major headlines of the day. I feel like for me that is good enough. I don't read any newspapers or magazines with any regularity.

Post: #5

I already don't watch TV, much less follow the news. The only news I follow is specific to some sport teams and leagues but that's it.

I rarely use Facebook, and have deleted most of my contacts there. I only keep family and close friends and some other exceptions. Essentially I removed people that I really didn't care about and probably didn't care about me either.

In a way I do feel disconnected, but at the time I'm content. I feel sorry for people that spend hours in front of TV watching news or repeats of sit coms or slave away on Facebook. I used to do this, and I noticed I wasn't making any progress in life so I cut it all out.

Post: #6

I like to stay informed but through other sources and means. I don't spent much time on traditional sources for news and just use a aggregator to get headlines and stories daily in about 20mins. If I'm around a TV or computer I'll have the National nightly news on at 10pm and listen to the first 15 mins.

It's better to stay in touch with what is local in your town and county. The type of drama that happens in your town effects your daily life more do then what happens on a larger marco national level.

Healthy democracies start with what is local. People hardly show up to vote in local elections, and with issues such as school, police, and tax amendments are always on the table come election time with a clear impact on daily life going foward.

Post: #7

I deactivated my personal FB a while back; it's a waste of time and only serves to fill the never ending narcissistic appetite of our peers.

As far as world/US news, I check what's going on around 1-2 times a week by scanning the headlines on a couple new sites.

Twitter I enjoy for business purposes, but that's a few minutes a day while waiting for appts, driving, etc, something where my time isn't being used up solely on social media.

I never watch TV; don't even own a TV, however, I do watch certain shows here and there on my laptop to unwind from a long day.

Post: #8

I just removed Huff Post and Slate from my FB newsfeed. I was getting sick of all the leftist/feminist crap. It was non stop.

Post: #9

I'm really concerned with what all this technology and social media did to my attention span. I can't focus on anything for longer than 10 seconds without thinking "switch tab", "new search", "check messages".

Post: #10

I read The Economist, which gives me the weekly wrap up. I check Bloomberg and FT for economic news. And I read a few particular sites to keep up on economic news, because it's what I do for a living.

Other than that, I could care less about the news cycle. Politics makes people stupid, so I ignore that. And most other news is that scare tactic shit. "The seemingly harmless houseplant that could be secretly killing your family... Stay tuned at 11!"

Post: #11

I've been a heavy news addict since I was a teenager.

I'm familiar with obscure prairie state congressmen and with local policy debates and fiscal crises in states I've never lived in. I know the names of almost every foreign head of state, the timelines of every civil war and ethnic conflict in the world.

I don't fool myself anymore that any of this is anything other than intellectual masturbation.

One summer I disconnected from it all, no TV, no newspapers, no magazines, no Internet. Not coincidentally, that's when I jumpstarted my game and started pulling more pussy than I ever had before. I also suddenly had more time to spend outdoors, to go hiking, kayaking, and fishing.

I'm never going to stop following the news, but I've scaled it back. Now I just need to cut the time I spend reading this forum...

Post: #12

Yeah I didn't even know about that flood in colorado and the other day I went into a grocery store for the first time in a while and noticed donation boxes for an Japan. I guess they had an Earthquake!

Post: #13

I quit caring about anything outside of the local newspaper a long time ago. All that shit just stresses you out for no good reason.

Post: #14

Yeah - I used to be a news junkie as well (a bad habit I developed). So for me this decision is a pretty big step.

And I don't have a TV - it is the single best thing you can do to make your life more interesting.

Also - a big story from about six months ago was the Boston bombing. I became pretty engrossed in it for a few days. But in fact - looking back on it - it was of no real lasting importance (except for the unfortunate people involved).

I dunno' why that example comes to mind - except to say that even big news seems pretty uninteresting and unimportant within a short period of time.

My problem with the news cycle is that you are continually snacking on 'junk food' without any real nutritional value.

Post: #15

Here is a nice quote I heard once - "Reading a newspaper is like telling the time by looking at the second hand of a clock."

Quote:News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

News is bad for your health. It leads to fear and aggression, and hinders your creativity and ability to think deeply. The solution? Stop consuming it altogether

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/ap...lf-dobelli

Post: #16

Also - I remember Nassim Taleb saying that he didn't care about the news either (for similar reasons to those given above).

Instead he just caught up once a week by reading 'The Economist' magazine.

Post: #17

I've recently been thinking the same thing.

There are only five news stories, and they are repeated over and over:

1) Nut job kills people.
2) Governments try to spin their misconduct.
3) Nature goes ape-shit and kills people.
4) Hot or rich people marry or fuck someone you can 't get.
5) Team A wins, Team B loses.

That's it. Over and over.

Post: #18

(10-30-2013 01:52 AM)cardguy Wrote:  Here is a nice quote I heard once - "Reading a newspaper is like telling the time by looking at the second hand of a clock."

Quote:News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

News is bad for your health. It leads to fear and aggression, and hinders your creativity and ability to think deeply. The solution? Stop consuming it altogether

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/ap...lf-dobelli

Let me get this straight, a news webiste wrote an article saying quit reading the news?

Post: #19

(10-29-2013 06:30 PM)cardguy Wrote:  Nothing interesting ever happens. I have deleted all the newspapers and news sites from my bookmarks folder.

I am officially without news.

Anyone else ever given up the news?

It makes the world a more interesting place. It is fun starting a random conversation by asking if there have been any major terrorist attacks recently...

I figure I can barely keep up with the rest of my life without wasting hours searching through sites trying to find interesting shit that has happened recently.

It is a wheel that never stops turning. And most of it is uninteresting and unimportant within a day or two.

News was always biased, but ever since 9/11 news has transformed into propaganda. You are actually less informed if you read the news, in my opinion, that's how bad it has become. If you don't read the news, you at least are not contaminated by all those lies, which is far worse than being uninformed.

I try to stay away from news. It actually helps with conversation, because you can ask people what was on the news if you run out of conversation topics.

Post: #20

(10-30-2013 02:31 AM)Thomas the Rhymer Wrote:  You are actually less informed if you read the news, in my opinion, that's how bad it has become. If you don't read the news, you at least are not contaminated by all those lies, which is far worse than being uninformed.

Well put. Everything in the Moneymedia is designed as a distractor to prevent everyone seeing the profit on their efforts flowing upward to our owners. Soshulists!! Parasites!!

Post: #21

I read the weekend papers and the Economist, along with some monthlies. Usually in hardcopy editions so I can sit and reflect rather than be clicking around all the time. Unless you work in a newsroom or as a trader there's no need to be getting a steady drip of half-formed news throughout the day.

Post: #22

(10-29-2013 08:35 PM)Armenian Wrote:  I just removed Huff Post and Slate from my FB newsfeed. I was getting sick of all the leftist/feminist crap. It was non stop.

I've never had those, but I got rid of New York Times, Cracked and Buzzfeed for the same reason. I am in search of non-feminist/white knight newspaper that covers a reasonable specter of global issues now - New York Times was really good in that regard, but I just couldn't take their bullshit anymore, particularly not after that disgusting "Who needs men" article.

Post: #23

(10-30-2013 05:17 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  

(10-29-2013 08:35 PM)Armenian Wrote:  I just removed Huff Post and Slate from my FB newsfeed. I was getting sick of all the leftist/feminist crap. It was non stop.

I've never had those, but I got rid of New York Times, Cracked and Buzzfeed for the same reason. I am in search of non-feminist/white knight newspaper that covers a reasonable specter of global issues now - New York Times was really good in that regard, but I just couldn't take their bullshit anymore, particularly not after that disgusting "Who needs men" article.

With the popularity surge in the manosphere, this could actually be an interesting niche to get into - "legit news with no stupid pc bias."

We could have correspondents all around the world

Post: #24

(10-30-2013 01:55 AM)cardguy Wrote:  Also - I remember Nassim Taleb saying that he didn't care about the news either (for similar reasons to those given above).

Instead he just caught up once a week by reading 'The Economist' magazine.

This was one of my main takeaways from reading The Black Swan, daily news is 99% noise and should be ignored by anyone with the modicum of intelligence required to grasp the narrative fallacy.

There are a couple of real journalists left in 2013, but they are rare.

Post: #25

News is ok if it's nuanced, detailed, and given a proper context and analysis. What you have in the US MSM are complete distortions, snippets of info, retarded "anchors" who know nothing about the subject, and just overall propaganda. I especially cant stand it when they invite someone half-decent onto a news talkshow and give the fucking guy 2 minutes to break down a complex issue while constantly interrupting him.