Are you a news junkie?

LTC Hillary Luton — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 10:22:46 -0400

I read an article that suggests that reading the news is actually bad for your health. Sadly, I'm a PAO, and yet I really don't enjoy the news or the media for that matter.
The article suggests that giving up reading the news will make you happier, healthier and more creative.

What are your thoughts? Do you find the reading or listening to the news affects your health? Can you give it up? Do our positions as SMs make us more prone to "need" to know the news? And can we give it up along with taking off the uniform? (I know - a lot of questions. I did say I was PAO.)

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/12/news-is-bad-rolf-dobelli

News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

News is bad for you. It leads to fear and aggression. It hinders your creativity and makes you sick. We should stop consuming it, says Rolf Dobelli, who's abstained for years

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made Sep 14 at 2014 3:03 PM

CPT Jacob Swartout — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 15:03:31 -0400

I usually only read or watch news media if it is really interesting. Most news, I either don't worry about because it has little or limited impact on my life or career. Some news media I only skim over to get the idea or I just read bits and pieces that may be worth looking into more. I'm not an avid news reader at all and know that most news is either not great or just not interesting. I do like the Army Times because it keeps me more posted on current Army events, training, etc.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2014 3:35 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 15:35:12 -0400

I personally read the news several times a day.
As a young airman I was always told keep up with current events for airman boards etc . . I took it to heart, as the individual who gave the advice was a great mentor.
I think it definitely helps spark some good conversations at work, considering that ALL I hear about ATM is football or fantasy football
There have been a few moments where I started having anxiety about what was going on in the world and and to stop reading for awhile.
One of the conversations that has popped frequently is, We get bombarded with "Hey, look whats going on over here!" and at the same time the other hand is in the cookie jar doing something else. Also, when it's time for a certain issue to be silenced some other tragedy happens and we forget about it, while its still going on.

Oh so many thoughts on this topic....

Sometimes I read the news thinking at least its not me and then feel better about my life and where I'm at in life.

The title of this post reminds me of a Tool song "Vicarious" its on youtube with lyrics.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Sep 14 at 2014 3:39 PM

SGT Richard H. — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 15:39:33 -0400

Happier, yes. I can't really think that it would be healthier though. Without following the news and knowing what is going on in the world, we would all become woefully uninformed. I can't see much improved health in that.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 14 at 2014 3:46 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 15:46:16 -0400

I take breaks and watch NHK (Japanese tv) sometimes and see world news from a different country/s point of view. It is amazing how cultural perspectives influence the same story. Wearing a uniform definitely puts attention to detail with world events. It can be very stressful both physically and mentally.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 14 at 2014 8:41 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 20:41:04 -0400

Watching the news is in direct proportion to how much valium I need to sleep. 1/2 hour of news = 1/2 mg of valium.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2014 8:42 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 20:42:28 -0400

I listen to the news on my way to and from work....if anything peaks my interest beyond rolling my eyes I'll go find an article and read about it

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made Sep 14 at 2014 10:27 PM

PO2 Rocky Kleeger — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 22:27:46 -0400

I guess you could say that. I'll read several versions of the same article, so I have a better chance of sorting out what could be true and what would be absolute bullsh!t...

Response by LT Jessica Kellogg made Sep 14 at 2014 11:17 PM

LT Jessica Kellogg — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 23:17:08 -0400

"And can we give it up along with taking off the uniform? "

That's where I'm at. I'm working as a PAO right now, and absolutely love it. But if I don't step away from the news and media when I get home from work, it starts to feel like work-life bleeds over into home-life.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 6:02 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 06:02:07 -0400

Thanks a lot, LTC Hillary Luton, for posting bad news about bad news. Now I need my medicine :-(

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 8:29 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:29:46 -0400

LTC Hillary Luton Ma'am, that is a great question. I have heard that concern before.

I cannot imagine not having the News. I guess I am a self proclaimed News junkie. I think of it as being well informed and having a clue about what the hell is going on in the world. I do take what is presented at face value of where it is coming from (CNN, FOX, MSNBC). Depending on the article, I will search out different sources.

I do like watching BBC America to get a different, perhaps more non biased look at the News.

Response by LCpl Steve Wininger made Sep 15 at 2014 1:58 PM

LCpl Steve Wininger — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 13:58:48 -0400

Absolutely! However, with a full class load and work, I find I don't get my fix as much as I would like. I have one class that even requires we watch the news because he quizzes us on it every week. I have trouble watching the news to keep up for my class.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 5:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:20:12 -0400

I must be a health nut then, since I stay away from all the news channels

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Sep 15 at 2014 5:37 PM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:37:02 -0400

I used to be a news junkie. Based on the low level of knowledge I see from people I run into in daily life, I must still be.....'cuz damn!

I USED to watch 2-3 hours a night, often while also cruising news sites simultaneously and arguing about stuff on the internet. My level of frustration and annoyance at the overall stupid finally got to me. I was being angry about things that I had zero chance to impact. And I got the whole arguing with the internet thing out of my system.

Now I watch NO cable news programs, and haven't in several years. Jon Stewart and the dude with the Eagle are about as close as I come, and I catch part of one of their shows maybe once a month. I will occasionally watch a local news broadcast, maybe 45 minutes in a week.

I do stay relatively informed from the various blogs and news sites I follow.
Most are specific issue-based, rather than left/right. Interestingly enough, the news/blog sites also tend right now to focus on whatever I am currently studying for the War College....

I read a lot more now (I've always read a lot), both "escape/pleasure" reading and theory/history.

I've been much happier cutting off most of the noise. And that's what most "news" is - noise, the signal is almost absent.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 7:34 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:34:31 -0400

I am a huge news junkie. But I don't have any TV service, by choice. I find it to be a waste of time. I will get a redbox from time to time. But I love news. I will spend hours reading news. I love information. I try to read as much as I can from all sources I can get my hands on. I may spend three plus hours reading news. I also listen to talk radio. I don't feel down but I it drives me. I know that I have the potential to change that. I hear of the fighting in the Middle East and know that I may find myself there as I have been already.

Response by CPT Kit Lancaster made Sep 15 at 2014 7:39 PM

CPT Kit Lancaster — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:39:41 -0400

I grew up watching way too much news. I couldn't get enough of it. I would say there is a lot that can be learn by watching the news. It does however hit a wall. To the untrained eye/ear and brain it can warp your reasoning, logic and basis of thinking. I would even say many people have accepted a set of beliefs completely separate of their experience. Catering to a part of their idealism. An idealism that is somewhere between reality and Santa Clause.

Since the news is geared to attract attention, typically by using fear, sex or taboo's I can see how the news "in general" can make you unhappy. I would go so far to say that I agree with that statement from a personal experience. I would be interested to hear what others say.

Response by SSG Laureano Pabon made Sep 16 at 2014 7:56 PM

SSG Laureano Pabon — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 19:56:22 -0400

LTC Hillary Luton , Hello and nice to see you in RP.
Ma'em, I personally don't enjoy the news too much because it all seems to be rather negative. I only hear or read bad things when it comes to something that endangers US or our American Forces. But that is only to get some type of information that I might want to remain aware of. Other then that I'm happier just looking at a movie or doing something that is positive.
Excuse me for stopping here, but my son is eating and I have to make him some lemonade juice :)

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2015 6:20 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 06:20:21 -0500

I am a huge news junkie. I consume vast amounts of news daily. I usually spend about an hour or two just reading news. There really isn't much that I miss. On top of that I will do research about what I read most of the times too. Sometimes it does seems like we are on a decline as a human race but then only the bad news makes good news.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2015 9:35 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 09:35:05 -0500

Everyday I skim drudgereport.com to see what the headlines are and read any articles of interest..not a bad site if you haven't visited it before.

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Jul 31 at 2015 5:25 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 17:25:02 -0400

Guilty as charged, ma'am

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 31 at 2015 5:29 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 17:29:40 -0400

I say bullshit. I don't want to live in a cave, and there are areas of news that interests and stimulates thinking.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 31 at 2015 5:37 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 17:37:31 -0400

Yes I am. I love know what's going on in the world. Even if it's not the best of news.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Dec 15 at 2018 7:26 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Sat, 15 Dec 2018 19:26:57 -0500

LTC Hillary Luton.. you being a PAO , scanned every article unless you were looking for s’thing specific and could just use the title as a reference for what the article was about.. I scan articles and also funeral notices looking for service members.. if there’s a @.com I go and leave a kind word (using a phrase out of
Our VFW ritual section. (We do a lot of non-member Vet funerals too[we did a
Non-mbr funeral and a family mbr gave us a donation for $100. That’s better than some members family give. ]). A family that was going to do a private service contacted me via the funeral service home. The funeral was in 4 days, could my post do his funeral? I called them back saying we could. So we showed with our color guard, 7 Rifle team members n rifles, chaplain and a few extras .. these folk made a nice donation.
(We received over 6 months time a $25
Money order each month.). That was how they could afford to do it... it was nice being appreciated .. I read a obit one time and didn’t know a fellow we would be giving honors for was a Vet. He never talked about it at the diner or the barber shop., We found he was eligible for our Veteran’s org. We now had a copy of his
Official discharge.. we signed some members into our auxiliary.. by the way this Vet. had some Purple Hearts and some other bravery medals with clusters for repeated performances. He was 90
Years young when he passed. We voted
and made him a memorial member and paid his dues.. I don’t know what rules we may have broke.. There are some exceptions for sitreps.. we discussed snd felt he qualified . We’d also found out he’d had s bad case of PTSD.. maybe it was a reason he didn’t Join.. didn’t want
Reminders of war .. I read other things that draw my interest.. Food is one.. restaurants.. etc., .. country of origin of the food item.. that’s about what I got for now..