Am I alone? Or do others find themselves trying to actively disengage from the news?

[LARS]

I have always paid attention to the news, both financial and other. However, I find myself getting more and more depressed with each news story. Whether it is the Left hating the Right, or vice versa, or yet another story of wanton violence, or the same conflicting opinions of the same "facts" about financial markets and the economy. None of which I can materially influence.

Specifically what prompted this today was a story about a guy who was critically injured after two guys hit him in the head, causing a critical concussion, while walking on the street. While unconscious on the street passersby stole his wallet and cell phone. Ugh...

I guess lately I have been asking myself, having entered my sixth decade on this planet and happily retired, whether it is okay to let myself finally disengage from all the noise, recognizing we have sufficient financial resources to play out the string?

I don't fish, but I am seriously thinking about hanging out the "Gone Fishin'" sign for good and turn my back on all the noise.

 

[joeea]

I guess lately I have been asking myself, having entered my sixth decade on this planet and happily retired, whether it is okay to let myself finally disengage from all the noise, recognizing we have sufficient financial resources to play out the string?

It is okay.

You are not alone.

 

[Ed B]

You are not alone.

 

[RunningBum]

there was a thread like this late last year.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/who-doesnt-read-watch-the-news-89599.html

 

[W2R]

All my life I was a "news junkie", but now I don't read the news much at all any more. I guess you could say that I am already disengaged from the news. I always wanted to subscribe to a newspaper once I was retired and had time to read it, but sadly we have no regular daily newspaper in New Orleans any more. It's hard to find a news website that is unbiased and professional. Journalism seems like a dying or dead art. And the ads on these websites!!! They are abominable and make it nearly impossible to read even the drivel that is posted there. So, I just don't go these sites.

Something encouraging that I have noticed, is that even though I don't read the news any more, somehow the bigger, more important news stories filter down to me. So, I'd probably know if we were under nuclear attack or something like that.

 

[Carpediem]

I've tried to cut back on reading / watching the news for the exact reasons the OP mentioned. Not completely to the point of 'no noise' yet but hopefully getting there.

 

[GrayHare]

I'd watch or listen to Walter Cronkite, but he and his style are long gone.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

there was a thread like this late last year.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/who-doesnt-read-watch-the-news-89599.html

Ha! And I think I created a similar thread not too long ago.

But, my thoughts on the "news" haven't changed much...if anything, I do my best to AVOID almost all of it. I could tolerate the "financial news" on cable, but they tend to talk about everything EXCEPT relevant financial news...plus so many folks like to trade on the news, I am just not sure the value in it.

I posted a few days ago freaking out about a brokerage account my recently deceased Dad had. To listen to the talking heads, the stock market was bound to lose 85% of its value in the next 48 hours. Of course, that hasn't happened and I have since turned OFF the noisy financial talking heads and it has made my life quite a bit more peaceful.

 

[Dawg52]

You're not alone. Rarely watch it.

 

[Amethyst]

Morrissey - "I spent the day in bed"

Good song all the way; most pertinent lyrics are:

"Stop watching the news
Because the news contrives to frighten you
To make you feel small and alone
To make you feel that your mind isn't your own"

Spent the day in bed
Very happy I did, yes
I spent the day in bed
As the workers stay enslaved
I spent the day in bed
I'm not my type, but
I love my bed
And I recommend that you
Stop watching the news
Because the news contrives to frighten you
To make you feel small and alone
To make you feel that your mind isn't your own
I spent the day in bed
It's a consolation
When all my dreams
Are perfectly legal
In sheets for which I paid
I am now laid
And I recommend to all of my friends that they
Stop watching the news
Because the news contrives to frighten you
To make you feel small and alone
To make you feel that your mind isn't your own
Oh time, do as I wish
Time, do as I wish
Oh time, do as I wish
Time, do as I wish
Oh time, do as I wish
Time, do as I wish
Oh time, do as I wish
Do as I wish
I spent the day in bed
You can please yourself
But, I spent the day in bed
Pillows like pillars
Life ends in death
So, there's nothing wrong with
Being good to yourself
Be good to yourself for once
And no bus, no boss, no rain, no train
No bus, no boss, no rain, no train
No bus, no boss, no rain, no train
No emasculation, no castration
No highway, freeway, motorway
No bus, no boss, no rain, no train
No bus, no boss, no rain, no train
No bus, no boss, no rain, no train
Songwriters: Gustavo Manzur / Steven Patrick Morrissey
Spent the Day in Bed lyrics © BMG Rights Management US, LLC

 

[Red Badger]

Recovering news junkie here...

I escaped in a unique way (I think). Early this year we had a family gathering at the beach . As I got into the condo, I flipped on the the TV, and there was the usual ill informed "debate" going on with the typical talking points on both sides; and neither side having much association with the truth.

I said to myself, "I didn't come here for this," and quickly found the weather channel while muting the volume. I then hid the remote and announced to all that there would be no changes (I sprung for the property, so I invoked the golden rule).

So if the TV was on, it was on the weather channel for the entire two weeks. It was a great decision. My sibs and I run the political gamut, so not having a catalyst for that sort of discussion was refreshing. Also, we all enjoyed seeing three distinct weather reports (offshore, the beach, inland).

Since then, I'll catch about 15 minutes of news early in the day. And yup, if something truly newsworthy occurred the night prior, I'll know by then.

Ditching that hostile and negative diatribe that passes as news was one more sail full of clean wind on my USS Retirement!

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

I don't know. For me it is a mixed bag. Yes, I do get tired of the daily news circus, but no, I do not have any plans to completely stop watching the news, but I do not let it consume much of my day.

 

[Clone]

A few months ago I decided to once again try watching the news. I decided that I would watch until they went on what appeared to be a blatant attack, and no longer reporting. Then I would switch channels. It took about 10 minutes to go through ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and CNN.

 

[flintnational]

You are not alone. By choice, we don't watch the local or national news. As an investor, I believe the negative stance of the news is a threat to my portfolio. I might believe what they say and do something stupid. Once you step away, the world is a pretty good place.

I am reading a book by Hans Rosling, Factfullness. He discusses all of the progress the world has made in the last 75 years. Much lower rates of hunger and disease and much higher rates of democracy and education. He also points out, you won't hear any of this by watching the news. His opinion is, we get a distorted view of the world from the news.

 

[CoolRich59]

Nope. You are not alone.

I had mentioned this in another thread, but one of the things I had looked forward to when I retired was getting up late and spending the morning drinking coffee while leisurely reading the paper.

As soon as I retired, I started a subscription to the Wall Street Journal. I soon found, however, that I was no longer interested: Don't care about news events, don't care about politics, don't care about which business is doing what, etc.

I cancelled the paper. Now, I have breakfast and listen to podcasts while doing crossword puzzles. It's way more fun and interesting.

 

[Sue J]

Yup, me too.

I go in phases. Sometimes I'll watch the news and really follow stories. Lately though, I just want to disengage. If I need to I'll watch the local 6PM news just to watch the local weather.

Don't laugh and point fingers at me but I like to watch "In The Kitchen With David" on QVC. I'm am not a shopper or a spender so the danger that I will suddenly become a shopaholic is pretty minimal. I just enjoy the happy talk, the detailed product demonstrations, the no news/no negativity vibe. And I also have a kitchen and use it frequently so I can relate to what they are talking about. I even LEARN NEW THINGS!

So maybe I'm just avoiding reality but I'm ok with that. I'm not responsible for saving the world and making everyone get along.

Here's my little secret...I record the show, it's 2 to 4 hours on Wednesdays and Sundays and I watch them whenever I want. I have a few weeks worth available and it doesn't matter if I watch them in order or randomly. I'm not buying anything, anyways.

And sometimes I even turn off the tv and enjoy inhaling and exhaling in peace and silence.

 

[Conundrum]

I never watch TV news or print. I am trying to kick the habit on apple news and USA Today online. Inevitably you eventually you get to the Finance area and the “noise” really begins

 

[Ed B]

I subscribed to our local fishwrap when I retired June 1. I will sit outside first thing in the morning to drink my one cup of coffee and read the sports, some local interest articles and scan any national and international news that looks interesting. But that is about it for heavy news.

I am totally out on TV news networks and their phone apps. I don't need all that negativity, partisan snark and the strawman slayings. I will watch some local news for about 15 minutes in the evening for weather and sports and the happy talk they do, but like someone who is a recovering alcoholic I try to avoid exposure to the toxic stuff that used to eat at me.

 

[Chuckanut]

The news actually doesn't accurately tell me much that I already don't know.

For example, they told me Justice Kennedy will resign from SCOTUS this Summer. That took 10 seconds and I didn't know it. They then spent 10 minutes telling me what I and most other people instinctively knew - there will be a huge political battle over who gets his seat. Gosh, what a surprise!!

In addition the news IMHO, is very often 'inaccurate' (I'll use a nice euphemism here). So why listen?

 

[harley]

I don't watch/listen to news. If something important happens I figure I'll find out when the shock wave hits me.

 

[Freedom56]

I still watch Bloomberg Business or CNBC in the morning on weekdays and read the WSJ and Barron's. As far as the cable news channels CNN, Fox News, and others, I tuned those out years ago. The local news is just full of shootings and freeway chases, so I don't bother with those either. They all have the same ending. If there was a newsworthy event, CNBC and Bloomberg would cover it anyway. I sometimes use the Reuters news app on Roku. It asks how much time do I have to watch the news (5 minutes, 10, 15) and prioritized the top news events to fit into my time window.

 

[John Galt III]

I have one or two cable channels I check out for news, and usually they are rehashing some crushingly boring non-event that happened 6 months ago, and is kept alive for some reason. Sometimes they actually have something new and interesting, in which case I will watch it.



Otherwise it's off to Youtube, where one can find all sorts of interesting, well-presented news on all sorts of topics.



Currently I am absorbed by what's going on in Europe concerning national sovereignty. Plenty of stuff on Youtube, almost nothing on cable TV.

 

[audreyh1]

Work hard to avoid it. Some headlines manage to get through to me anyway.

 

[Helena]

.

I am weary of the hearing the same "news" drums beat over and over and over again.

The only real news of interest to me is the Trump/Putin summit in Helsinki on July 16.

 

[Helena]

I have one or two cable channels I check out for news, and usually they are rehashing some crushingly boring non-event that happened 6 months ago, and is kept alive for some reason. Sometimes they actually have something new and interesting, in which case I will watch it.



Otherwise it's off to Youtube, where one can find all sorts of interesting, well-presented news on all sorts of topics.



Currently I am absorbed by what's going on in Europe concerning national sovereignty. Plenty of stuff on Youtube, almost nothing on cable TV.

I sometimes watch cable TV business news channels... like Bloomberg and CNBC. Both of them have interesting [business related] European and other international news [especially during the times when the European and Asian stock markets are open.].

In the evening, CNBC regularly shows reruns of Shark Tank [love that show.]