Most “news” is bad news.
It’s not necessarily the fault of the major news channels on TV or the newspapers or news websites.
It’s just how the human brain is wired.
People naturally are more responsive to bad news than to good news.
They pay more attention to bad news.
It is like an addiction.
It is like sugar or nicotine.
Most people can’t resist it.
Most news sources are in the business of making money.
Because of this they show people things that get people’s attention.
Bad news gets people’s attention.
When people are watching the news then the news makes more advertising dollars.
Humans naturally pay attention to bad news more than good because of evolution.
In our distant past we lived very dangerous lives.
Maybe good news would be finding food or a suitable mate.
Bad news meant death so it was very important for the human brain to be very aware and watchful for bad news.
Bad news could be a predator looking to eat us. It could be another human looking to kill us without any laws or repercussions. It could be a venomous snake or spider.
Additionally, humans are also actually wired to pay attention to celebrity gossip.
People’s brains aren’t wired to know the difference between the life of a celebrity and the life of a high-status member of our own tribe.
Our brains are wired to pay attention to celebrities because human as a species live in social hierarchies.
We’re meant to pay attention closely to various social cues so as to increase our own standing while preventing a loss of status.
This is also why people may be shy or afraid of public speaking. The way that our brains are wired we feel like there is a lot at stake.
We look to celebrities to learn what is good and bad. In alpha male primate groups all of the lower status primates constantly watch the higher status ones.
Because the news focuses mostly on negativity it induces fear into people.
People get a sense that the world is more dangerous than it actually is.
Don’t get me wrong. There are certainly plenty of dangerous people, places and things in this world.
There’s just less of them than what watching the news every day would make you think.
When I tell some people some of the countries that I’ve traveled to they are often surprised and amazed that I would take such risks.
More people die though from salt, sugar, cigarettes and/or alcohol than from violence these days.
Sure, violence still exists throughout the world and it is possible to die from a violent death…
… it’s just much less likely than other things such as automobile accidents or cancer.
We actually live in the least violent time in human history.
You wouldn’t get that impression though from watching the news.
I don’t watch the news very much, but I pay attention. It’s amazing how you don’t need to watch the news to know what’s going on in the world. With the Internet and social media the news finds you.
If something really really important happens I will find out. I don’t need to be obsessed with keeping up with the news. I can then do research on my own if I want to learn more.
When I do hear the news I am always careful to keep everything in the proper perspective and not from the selectively negative lens of what helps the news organizations make money.
We need to guard ourselves from the negativity, fear and nonsense that is constantly bombarding us in literally all directions these days.
Our interesting lives depend on it.
Negativity kills motivation. What’s the point in trying if everything is awful anyway????
Fear paralyzes and causes people not to take smart risks. Why take a risk if it will lead to your certain doom!?!?!?
Nonsense like celebrity gossip and an obsession with endless sports distracts us. It is hard to build great things when you are obsessed with a Kardashian’s butt or a litany of useless sports statistics that in no way add to your bottom line.
It is good to be informed. Just don’t allow yourself to get distracted or lose perspective of how the world really is.
There are already enough distractions vying for your attention and hundreds billions of dollars being spent for it.
Know what is most important in your life and focus on that.
Avoid anything else like the plague.
Block it, filter it or wave it away.
When you’re 90 years old looking back on your life what will you think was important?
Your fears? Your worries? Celebrity couple drama? The batting average of Joe Schmo Baseball player?
or
Building a healthy body.
True adventure.
Financial stability.
Creating priceless memories with friends and family.
Having interesting memories from a long, happy and exciting interesting life?
What really matters?
What distractions are trying to get in your way.
The 90-Year-Old-Self-Looking-Back-On-Their-Life is the only news report that matters.
Make sure that news is good.
Until Next Time, Stay Interesting,
All the Best,
D
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