How do I keep up with the news without losing my mind?
That was my question today as I tried without much success to understand what is actually happening in Syria and what the political debates in the US are about beyond the insults, slander and dragging up old ghosts.
And it led me to start thinking about the whole system of news and media that we have found ourselves navigating without a lot of guidance.
Let me start with a disclaimer: I believe it is of huge importance to have an up to date understanding of significant world events happening in our nation and around the world. As a human, I cannot separate my existence from things such as civil war, climate change and poverty. And as a christian, I don't think I am walking in the way of love if I am unaware or apathetic about the suffering of people around the world. All this to say that I am in no way suggesting people shouldn't try to stay up to date with global news. Rather, I am questioning the nature, delivery and receiving of media.
When I get to work in the morning and open my internet browser, the system is set so that a news website is the homepage and before I even have a chance to start doing some work, I have to either ignore or navigate a dozen headlines all claiming to be 'Breaking News' that is worthy of being read Right Now.I'm not concerned about having a news website as my homepage, there is definitely worse things that could come up. But what I am concerned about is that on this particular site, all the headlines get the same priority and significance. The brutal, incessant and accelerating civil war in Syria was given the same space and priority as "12 child celebrities you would never believe look so good as adults". There are certain things that I simply should not know about. For example, I have never met Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, we're certainly not friends and I should not be able to read their divorce file. But I can.
In the words of Rob Bell, celebrity media is a "multi billion dollar industry designed to recreate the high school experience". There are cool kids and popular groups and bullies and all of the craziness that we're supposedly leaving behind at graduation but I'm still, in my mid twenties, trying to avoid it.
The other aspect of news that I'm struggling with right now is the timing (or lack thereof) and rhythm of it all.
In the natural world, everything has a rhythm, a cycle, a pattern to it. The seasons are predictably beautiful every year, the water gets from alpine springs to ocean to sky in the same way again and again. Birds, bison and bull sharks migrate in the same direction every year, and even our human bodies have sleep cycles, menstrual cycles and digestive cycles. I cannot think of a single natural system that does not operate in a rhythmic way of being. My conclusion from this is that there must be some wisdom in it. It works.
News on the other hand, no longer has any rhythm or cycle or predictable pattern to it. Gone are the days of the morning paper and evening news, now there is breaking news every 15 minutes, you can know about Taylor Swifts breakup before her boyfriend does and it just NEVER STOPS.Which is fine if you don't access it, but now push notifications mean that I can go for a run along the harbor at sunset and not miss out on the drunken antics of the All Blacks after their latest game.
There is so much coming in, all the time. It's complicated, unrelated, loud and for the most part entirely irrelevant to our lives and what we consider to be important. There is no rhythm, rest or pattern. Is it any wonder that we have ever increasing rates of anxiety, attention deficit disorders and stress related illnesses?
This post doesn't even touch on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and similar social tools, but the same principles apply for all of those and it's effects are magnified, the more points of access into this world someone has.
The overall message of this is hopeful, because even though there is endless noise and chaos you can access at any time (not even the toilet is safe from this stuff anymore)... You don't have to let it in.
You are the curator of your own mind. You choose what comes into your brain and you choose what is important, relevant and significant for the kind of life you want to lead.
If you would rather not have your family time interrupted by the breaking news that Auckland got ten minutes of hail, that's up to you.
Friends, be aware of what is coming into your mind. There is limited capacity for concentration, ideas, creativity and connection... Use it on the things that are important to you.
