Stop Watching the News

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I was watching some TV show where they had this psychiatrist on and she recommended that ppl with depression should stop watching the TV news as a way of helping themselves.

With respect to her, this was obviously not *all* she was saying they should do as if it was some panacea, but I wondered whether it amounted to good, sensible advice. Part of me felt that actually it wasn't, without truly being able to formulate why, but at the same time I know how being upset about watching a Channel 4 report about a resident of Fallujah going back and seeing how the US troops had laid waste to the city and killed thousands of ppl and how being so upset about it (I was quite tearful as well as angry) contributed to something stupid I did later on (sending a vile abusive txt message to an ex-gf).

― MarkH (MarkH), Sunday, 16 January 2005 11:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I find I naturally start to tune out from current events when personal stuff gets difficult. It certainly doesn't help to worry yourself with issues that are hardly related to your day-to-day life when battling with depression.

― Andrew (enneff), Sunday, 16 January 2005 11:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Likewise, I'll admit to only watching the news if I'm in the right mood.

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 16 January 2005 12:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I would also add that any person should stop watching the news. "Terrorists are still fighting with U.S. troops who are only trying to liberate them." That's all you're going to hear anyway.

So, yes. For once, I disagree with Grant Hart.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Sunday, 16 January 2005 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I recommend not watching TV at all.

― Hurting (Hurting), Sunday, 16 January 2005 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurting OTM. You can read to keep up with current events.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 16 January 2005 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

The radio, people!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 16 January 2005 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I love NPR. Unfortunately they only have NPR news in the evenings here. Nothing during the day. They share the U of Rochester station, it sucks.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Sunday, 16 January 2005 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't watch television, and I'm proud of it. Other people think I'm crazy, though.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Avoiding TV news since 9/11 = one of the smartest things I've done this century.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Caitlin, you can interweb stream NPR or BBC News all day long.

― Ian John50n (orion), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Bah, television is your friend as long as you stay with these channels:

Comedy Central
The Cartoon Network
BBC America
prime-time Fox
VH-1 Soul
VH-1 Classic
MTV Hits
MTV Jams
ESPN2
Action
Spike TV

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

closest thing to tv news i make an effort to consume is the daily show. i would watch Bill Moyers show on PBS(with the new guy hosting it), only i figure i'd get WAY too angry to be able to deal with it. this is similar to why i can't watch Frontline; problems with stress/anger management.

also, i think that Grant Hart's song was written during a time when 24-hour news culture wasn't the norm.

that all being said, i read a lot online and listen to npr.

xpost what, no MTV Espanol?

― kingfish (Kingfish), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I find I can't watch TV news, or TV, without feeling very very po'd. When I do watch I often feel like I'm in a foreign country.

Seeing Jack fucking Cafferty cluck his tongue, as the self-appointed moral conscience of CNN and the nation, the other morning made me want to puke. The issue was some mental illness group complaining about a stupid 'crazy about you' teddy bear or something. His pronouncement "THESE PEOPLE SERIOUSLY NEED TO GET OVER THEMSELVES. IT'S A CUTE TOY!"

Excuse me? WHO needs to get over themselves? WHO?

xpost--Animal Planet

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:35 (twenty-one years ago)

TV news in the UK hasn't yet recovered from The Day Today, and is reined in a bit from its former excesses.

Radio is more insidious: Radio 4's Today programme still suffers ludicrous self-importance. There's nothing quite like it for inspiring a 'world on a particulary bleak Monday morning' feeling.

I prefer newspapers.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Sunday, 16 January 2005 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait, what was The Day Today again?

― kingfish (Kingfish), Sunday, 16 January 2005 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't even have a TV

― MY FAVOURITE LIGHTER IS CHEESEBURGER (trigonalmayhem), Sunday, 16 January 2005 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait, what was The Day Today again?

One of the greatest shows ever.

'The Day Today' -- "HELLO, YOU!"

Beg, borrow or steal to get the import DVD set.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 16 January 2005 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

xxxxxxxpost ian i know i can interweb stream (and i do at times) but it really ruins it all. the fact that it comes from A RADIO is part of why it's great.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Sunday, 16 January 2005 22:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I find television -- American television anyways -- mostly depressing and dismaying. Watching it makes me more insecure, more paranoid, more callous, and gives me the impression that most people are terrible and selfish and that civilization is coming to an end.

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 17 January 2005 04:13 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.