How to consume the news
This is not a how-to guide. And the reason why it’s not, is because I don't have an answer to provide. This is something I've been pondering and the more I think about it the more I'm confused. It started with a practical question: what's the best way to stay informed. But it quickly evolved into a series of more "higher level" questions:
- What does it mean to stay informed?
- Should I care about being informed?
- What kind of things should I be informed about?
- What level of information is acceptable to possess?
And on and on and on. Rather than drilling down forever I decided to share where my mind is currently at, and you can tell me what you think about it, if you want.
How, why and other considerations
The how is probably the easiest part to answer. I want to stay away from anything that's considered traditional, mainstream media, and also from anything that's online. Not because I don't trust them, but because the news cycle is now way too fast and as a result there's very few people that have the time to do actual journalism, for the most part. So my current plan is to subscribe to a few magazines that take time to do deep dives into topics that matter. If you have magazines or newspapers worth reading please do let me know.
Now, the other questions are the ones I'm struggling with the most. The why in particular. On the one hand, I don't see real value—personal value—in staying informed with what's happening in the world. On the other, I do think it's important since I’m part of this world after all. And also, reading the news is not just catching up with what's happening on a day-to-day basis in politics and around town. I'm sure there are plenty of inspiring stories out there worth reading about. But maybe I'm wrong and I shouldn’t bother paying attention. Feel free to let me know if I'm wrong.
As for what is worth paying attention to, I'd say the best approach is a mix of international politics, science, some tech and maybe something more related to my corner of the world. Is this a good mix? Who knows? I'm sure I'll struggle to find a good balance, but I’m giving this a try.
So, this is pretty much where I'm at. If you have thoughts on the matter, please do share them with me, I'd really appreciate it.