Johno1967

I went for nearly three year almost completely avoiding the news. I would walk out if someone had the TV news on, turn down the car radio if the broadcast came on and never ever went on news web sites.
I took myself off FB and LinkedIn because too may connections would broadcast their views and vitriol over one issue or another.
Recently like a moth to a light I've been drawn back to the news and events local to international have now got me all riled up, seething and resentful.
Sounds ridiculous but I was raised in a very political family and I used to be that guy in a bar arguing politics and international affairs. I loved drinking and discussion "politics" in Israel and South Africa and Croatia because everyone else was doing it too! Controversy and intrigue tasted better with alcohol. I used to get hammered with Journalists. Discussion around Football and cricket scores were just boring in comparison to war stories.
I thought I could now observe the news impartially and without attachment. Now I realize that was wishful thinking and this is another form of insane behaviour.
So I'm imposing myself on a media blackout. I wonder if there is a news addicts anonymous.

paulokes

Richard Foster suggests 'Media Fasting' in his book "Celebration of Discipline"...I find it useful to do for a few days or week at a time. I can't avoid the world, but its interesting to pull back every now and then and notice how I'm affected.

I have been troubled quite a bit lately by strong opinions in others...at worst they make me want to shout, scream and argue

P

Tamerua

I have a friend in the program who run on eeyore levels (what's so good about today, did you see that spot on such and such, the mudslide in Washington, the Russians and Ukraine) and it really depresses her. I think she needs to turn the TV off. Or do step work around it- what are you powerless over, what would sanity be, etc.

So, you're not alone! Lol

Tommyh

I don`t watch much news either.
A friend talked to me yesterday about this.He feels the same way.
We realize we can`t change the world and we certainly don`t agree with everything thats going on.So,we figured the best thing we could do is stay sober and try to help others get sober and do good when we can.

muvinon

When I am content, I notice the news and/or political news of the day doesn't ruffle me. Sorta rolls off, since it all really is a version of the same ole stuff,different day.

When I am discontent........watch out! lol I will find myself posting on political blogs.

jdooner

I actually had a good call this AM with my mentor. We were discussing my introspection and realization that I sometimes judge. He is working on something that is identifying self righteous indignation with respect to religion and polictical views. He likened both to a characterisitc of psychopathic behavior. I found this interesting, as I find empathy keeps me from pyschopathy and narcasicm. Empathy is the opposite of judement.

To me this highlights an area of more work that I need to do with my steps and gorwth spiritually. Judement can block you spiritually - it has for me in the past.

UncleMeat69

Institutions & Principles - One of the more overlooked categories
for me when I did my 4th. Step. Fortunately my sponsor advised
me to return to those categories in my 10th Step. Lots of work
was needed and still more to do.
I do allow myself one half hour of local news with special focus on the
weather at night. I get another half hour of national news in the am.
Finding balance is an ongoing project I doubt I will ever master, but
progress is what I continue to strive for..........

paulokes

Yes Institutions and Principles..."You know the trouble with people who..."etc

Too much news and current affairs fuels this in me...doesn't cause it but fuels it

I don't have a TV anymore...I don't avoid it but I don't miss it.

P

GracieLou

I don’t watch the news at all. I do go to one local news website and if I see something that interests me then I will click on it but otherwise I only go to check the weather.

90% of the time the story that interested me is crap or leaves me with more questions then answers. In the past I wasted my time trying to find out more information but I don’t wasted my time anymore.

I hear many people talk about current events and they argue back and forth about what they heard, where they watched it or heard it. Commentary from here or there. I figure I don’t need that in my life. I simply say, “I don’t know, I don’t watch the news”

CAPTAINZING2000

I was told many years back you can't wear the serenity prayer out.
With round the clock world news being broadcasted we can easily think we're all going to hell in a hand basket tomorrow.

While I do believe in keeping current on the news, I now limit how much time I devote to it.
I will admit to spending time on the missing plane praying there would be survivors life still goes on.

least

I gave up television fifteen years ago and don't miss it one bit. I get my news with online papers. I read what I want, then turn it off.

LBrain

me too!

matt4x4

OK OK but what do you think about that missing malaysian airplane? need your input on this very serious of matters that concerns our planet and our society today.

No i hear ya, TV bleeds the brain. Most shows are fake, news is slanted. I was watching a Bill Oreilly broadcast, dumping on Eddie Vedder for his American Gun Rights slam. And they showed the lightning sentence, but not the entire clip. Eddie made a very great remark and his ENTIRE rant should have been aired, but they didnt. Then the panel goes on to diss the man himself saying he used to sing and write great songs now he is a washed up hasbeen. More like the CNN punks are the has-beens. Eddie is probably richer then all the panel punks put together. I like to watch Bill Oreilly outtakes on Youtube, it just shows how stupid the guy is. Its quite funny to watch.

Johno1967

Day 3 sans news and feeling better already.
World is still here and they haven't started nuking each other over Crimea.
Those hermits sure had the right idea. I think Jesus took 40 days in the wilderness to get away from it all. Not a bad idea at all.
As if life does not throw enough at us that we need to carry the burdens if the world as well.
When I read the tradition about having no opinions on outside issues I often wonder if it's telling me I should keep my opinions to myself on issues unless it's about to ruin my day.....
It's not indifference (I hope). Just playing 3 wise monkeys.
Then refer to the serenity prayer if I'm having trouble with it.

Johno1967

Eddie Vedder is the man. Love his music. Sound track to "into the wild" was outstanding and one of my favorite albums.

This sort of jingoistic journalism that fronts as a cheap shot opinion platform rather than reporting facts in an objective, even and transparent manner is what gets me wild.
News is trash these days. I treat with skepticism, better, now I just ignore it.

Deluxe

I avoid the news on TV. Hardly watch the box at all. It is as my sponsor says bubblegum for the mind. Watching the news a few months back I realised that it is reality tv for adults. Designed to titillate and instil fear and keep people coming back. I'm trying to simply and un-clutter my life as part of sobriety and get back to basics.

paul99

I watch maybe one hour of TV a week. Read the newspaper daily. Will jump on Youtube to watch old music videos or docs or interviews, but other than that, it's radio silence. Not out of necessity, but that's just how things have opened up for me in recovery. No need to numb out, or get worked up about so-and-so or feel obliged to watch the entire season of X,Y or Z.

As i mentioned to my sponsor last night, the more I can relieve myself of what doesn't serve me, my shoulders and spirit lighten.

jdooner

Um, I don't think the problem is the news guys...just like I don't think alcohol was the problem either. Its those who can't handle the news or alcohol. Those that are spiritually fit are able to listen to current events and not get engrossed in the opinions of others including the talking heads or signers and artists. I see this all th time with my father who is so polarized by politically. One thing I will fault our President for is further polarizing this Country. However, these are events out of our control and should be turned over in my opinion. If we become fixated then we should treat it just like we would any addiction - this is mindfulness at its best.

Pipefish

I'm definitely one of those who can't handle the news guys!

When I find myself hollering at the radio, I switch it off. The hollering doesn't happen so often now, and it's usually by accident, when the programme I was listening to finishes, and it drifts into something I hadn't intended to listen to...yesterday's example was a programme on the British class system, which I knew was unwise to even begin listening too...but I did it anyway. I don't watch TV news, and haven't for a long time, and seldom watch TV. If I need a news update, will read the newspaper online. In a previous life, I had the radio alarm set to Radio 4, so that I could awake to hearing John Humphrys (caustic personified) tearing a strip off yet another politician...a perfect start to the day. I began to realise that the frustration was 'same s**t, different day' and that this served no purpose to listen to.

For me, it's not about disinterest, or even being able to rise above by handing it over. I doubt I ever could be, and am actually not sure I would want to be in terms of mainstream media & TV, that spiritually fit. I think the word here, maybe, is choice, informed decision making, and having an increasingly full awareness of what is pressing buttons. That is mindfulness too.

Having very recently done a step four,which included institutions and principles, as recommended to me, what I see is how quickly I can lose my peace of mind, and that I have choices about what I take in, watch and listen to. Of course I always had, and still do have choices, but what I didn't see so clearly was the impact or potential this has to get my day and my thinking off in a direction that's harmful, and set off those stock reactions of anger, self-rightousness, despair and hopelessness about the state of the world, that are waiting for an excuse to pop up, and could have been avoided

It's very liberating to know what presses buttons :-) And am really grateful it was recommended as part of step four.

tomsteve

I can relate johno. I like watchi n tv, but I gotta stay away from the news and even some of the reality shows. too much drama.

" I think Jesus took 40 days in the wilderness to get away from it all. "
yup there were other times recorded in the bible that jesus did that. there were probably more that weren't recorded,too.