Ignoring the News

[Tadpole]

Even CSPAN addiction is dangerous

I'm crazy. I am the best argument for avoiding news at all costs. I am addicted to Congressional hearings. Here is the proof that this is dangerous.

As long as I was increasing "wealth" by working, I planned to work forever. Now that I can only maintain, I realize I can afford to retire in a couple of years unless ....

Here is the thing. I am entitled everywhere. I have a diet-pension from the federal government and my husband has a small fixed pension from a state government. And, of course, we have SS. OK, OK, I know we are better off on paper than most but I keep thinking of negative (dooms-day) what-ifs. You know the what-ifs. What-if: there is hyperinflation; the US government falls as we know it; the politicians wipe out entitlements in one fell swoop of legislation; .... But I have enough to survive on savings at 4% withdrawal. But wait, most scenarios where the entitlements become worthless would make the savings worthless.

I now understand gold-buggers even though I don't believe gold-bugging would work either in the long run under worse case. I envy my husband. He just gets to a certain age and announces his retirement. He doesn't worry otherwise.

Am I the only one overdosing on CSPAN coverage of Congressional hearings? Am I the only one whose love of their job turns out to be just a love of the 401k growth and I just didn't realize it? Suddenly, I am just bored and thinking I want to do something different. The smart thing, given fear of dooms day, would be to hang on to a high paying job but, in my case, I am thinking of doing the opposite.

I'm crazy.

 

[Cattusbabe]

I follow the news simply because the topic being discussed is quite interesting. I'm not that involved with the market, so I have no emotional involvement save for my son who is a third year teacher in NYC and I'm hoping he will keep his job.

Most of the day to day crap and parsing of the market and it's components is no different than a horse race. Good for those actively trading, useless for long term investors.

I notice that there are many opinions by so-called experts spanning the spectrum of gloom to exhiliration.

Wall street was established to simply trade stock of active companies. It has evolved in recent years to a circus-casino with flashing lights, clowns, puppet shows, and hot reporters all trying to lure the suckers in to put their hard earned cash down into sound investments. Of course the house has it's take, just like in Vegas.

Conventional wisdom as to investment is out the window and never made any sense to me. Companies on average grow slowly, like the economy and US population. Walls street tells you and scares you differently. So now we have a crisis where the market is IMHO, priced where it should be. So it is no crisis, just noise.

Sit back, grab some popcorn and simply watch the show, a new group of suckers will sooner or later refuel the insanity.

jug

I like this post.

 

[RonBoyd]

Where's the Poll?

 

[hankster]

I generally avoid the TV news. I prefer to read the news stories on internet sites and not have some melodramatic talking head tell me how I should feel about it.

My elderly parents have a 24 hour news station on for several hours a day. Everything horrible that's happened in the world overnight is repeated ad nauseum. It especially wears on my father. He gets cynical and bitter after watching it for awhile and it seems to depress him. I make every effort to point out all the good things in our lives and family. There have always been terrible things happening in the world. Now, thanks to modern technology, we're instantly informed of them in gory detail. Regarding the financial mess, it has been aggravated by the media coverage IMO.

 

[audreyh1]

My elderly parents have a 24 hour news station on for several hours a day. Everything horrible that's happened in the world overnight is repeated ad nauseum. It especially wears on my father. He gets cynical and bitter after watching it for awhile and it seems to depress him. I make every effort to point out all the good things in our lives and family. There have always been terrible things happening in the world. Now, thanks to modern technology, we're instantly informed of them in gory detail. Regarding the financial mess, it has been aggravated by the media coverage IMO.

That is so sad! I guess your Dad just isn't able to turn it off

I wonder how many people realize that leaving news on most of time is really degrading their quality of life? How many people feel like they "should" watch news regularly?

Audrey

 

[harley]

I listen some on the radio, read some on the internet. Almost never watch on TV or read a paper or magazine. I don't pay that much attention unless something catches my attention like the plane crash yesterday. I listen to the financial news just as a hobby, but it's more for the unintended humor by the talking heads.

I'm a relatively happy person, and I assign some of that to my partial avoidance of news and nearly total avoidance of commercials. Although I have to admit to a weakness for this Hotels.com one.

YouTube - Hotels.com Commercial - Guy Pouring Shampoo On His Head

 

[barbarus]

I scan the news on the Internet and read a few blogs that actually tell the truth about the economy.

It's so depressing that I try not to go to much beyond a level that keeps me informed but not inundated with misery.

A delicate balance.

 

[heyyou]

I haven't ever paid a subscription fee for TV access. We now live in a rural neighborhood that does not have cable access and we don't pay for satelite TV. Our lives seem to be fine without it. We still read a lot of books--those bundles of sheets of paper covered with printed words, just like people had in the old days.

Remember the "vast wasteland" remark from the 1960's? AFAIK, the news is usually the same stories just with different names and locations on each occurence. It is mostly about disasters, politics, crime, and financial problems. Those go on whether I pay attention or not. Long ago I learned that checking my account balances daily was an easy way to ruin what had been a good day.

When was the last time that your life was improved by what you learned from TV viewing? Do you get any benefit from the commercials? My guess is that any product with a Super Bowl ad is over-priced.

 

[haha]

When was the last time that your life was improved by what you learned from TV viewing? Do you get any benefit from the commercials? My guess is that any product with a Super Bowl ad is over-priced.

So interesting to me when a person feels that because he doesn't like, want, or need something or other, no one else should either. Is that some form of narcissism?

Ha

 

[RonBoyd]

So interesting to me when a person feels that because he doesn't like, want, or need something or other, no one else should either. Is that some form of narcissism?

Judaic/Christian/Islamic comes to mind.

 

[ziggy29]

So interesting to me when a person feels that because he doesn't like, want, or need something or other, no one else should either. Is that some form of narcissism?

Agreed. Sometimes there's what I call a "snob appeal" to look down on the choices of others. Whether it's what someone chooses to do with their spare time, what they choose to buy, what they choose to eat or what they choose to read (among others), some people seem to enjoy tearing down the choices of others as if it makes them superior because they don't share those "vices." And they are more than willing to let everyone else know how inferior their choices are.

So much for live and let live.

 

[W2R]

I haven't ever paid a subscription fee for TV access. We now live in a rural neighborhood that does not have cable access and we don't pay for satelite TV. Our lives seem to be fine without it. We still read a lot of books--those bundles of sheets of paper covered with printed words, just like people had in the old days.

Remember the "vast wasteland" remark from the 1960's? AFAIK, the news is usually the same stories just with different names and locations on each occurence. It is mostly about disasters, politics, crime, and financial problems. Those go on whether I pay attention or not. Long ago I learned that checking my account balances daily was an easy way to ruin what had been a good day.

When was the last time that your life was improved by what you learned from TV viewing? Do you get any benefit from the commercials? My guess is that any product with a Super Bowl ad is over-priced.

In my case, I do feel my life has been improved by some of what I have learned from TV viewing (like many, I choose to mute and don't watch the commercials so I can't really report on them). I have really learned a lot about what I like and don't like in houses and decorating from HGTV, for example. The History channel has had some intriguing programs that have inspired me to research further on my own, and some that have enhanced my spiritual understanding. And even CNBC has taught me about economics and the market, though I admit that I view it only in measured doses and only with considerable skepticism. Sitcoms have been an exercise in human psychology for me, since my sense of humor is underdeveloped and my life hasn't been particularly funny (so I think sitcoms are good for me and I am beginning to laugh more). Local news has provided me with information that has enhanced my life. For example, local traffic information (especially during carnival season which is really ramping up this week) has allowed me to spend more time doing things other than getting stuck in traffic.

I didn't have a TV in my house for about a decade, but finally got one back in early 2001 due to the fact that cable TV and cable internet only cost me $1.95/month more than just cable internet at the time. Cable internet was $10 off with cable TV, and bare bones basic cable TV was $11.95/month at the time. When I re-introduced television into my life, perhaps I did it in a more discriminating fashion than I had before. At least, I looked for good shows and didn't do as much "flipping" as I had done earlier in life. I think that the choice of whether or not to have a television is purely personal, and there are good arguments both for or against. Ultimately, we are all so different, and some will be happier with (and some without) a television in the house.

 

[Lsbcal]

For me I try for quality new sources:
The Economist
PBS News Hour
NY Times on the web

Also read our local paper because some of that stuff does affect me.

Also, I try to ignore the adds mostly and the news stories involving slashers, air plane disasters, etc.

I'm sure everyone here is intrigued to know my selections .

 

[haha]

I don't want to ignore news, so what I am doing is trying to find more efficient ways of getting it. I'm collecting a set of RSS feeds on topics or areas that I want to be aware of.

Any recs as to business or economic news, mid-east, oil industry, etc?

I also get Mariner and Seahawk and Husky football and b-ball feeds, mostly to have good conversation with one son and DIL. Son and I watched a lot of football together, and the common interest persists.

Ha