Site of the Day for Monday, January 8, 2018
News is Bad for You
Today's site from The Guardian offers a recent reprint of an opinion piece
published several years ago by best selling Swiss writer Rolf Dobelli. Gentle
Subscribers will discover an interesting perspective on the concept of "news
junkie" from Mr. Dobelli, based on the scientific work of a number of
accredited researchers.
"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 ... Out of the 10,000 news stories you may have read in the last 12
months, did even one allow you to make a better decision about a serious matter
in your life, asks Rolf Dobelli." - from the website
Well-written and thought-provoking, this contentious article relies on a number
of scientific studies which have indicated that extensive Internet use tends to
rewire the brain's neural pathways. Among the conclusions presented as
indicators of the deleterious effects of news acquisition are the misleading
nature of news, its lack of relevance to daily life, its detrimental physical
effects on the body, and its tendency to inhibit creativity, along with several
other apparently undesirable consequences. Links in texts appear to be
singularly unhelpful, thus the article has been limited to two which reference
the scientific background -- although one leads to Wired Magazine which is
hostile to ad-blockers.
Wheel over to the site for a challenging view on the value of news at:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/12/news-is-bad-rolf-dobelli
A.M. Holm
Comments? Suggestions? amholm@xxxxxxxxxxx
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