I grew up being impressed with the idea that following the news is important because doing so “keeps you informed”. People say you need to know what's going on in the world.
Really?
I believe people who told me that lied to me. Here's why; imagine you see a news headline about some war going on somewhere. This is 1 story unfolding now. But 7.53 billion stories unfold right now. 7.53 billion humans dot planet earth currently. Each person observes a multitude of stories unfold during their lives, including 5 to 10 stories or more, today.
Now we sit at a good 70 billion stories for today only. But it gets even better; 7.53 billion humans often interact with each other to create more stories. We collectively co-create experiences. Every experience constitutes what's going on in the world.
Anybody who tells you 1 story out of 70 billion to 700 billion stories – or more – reigns supreme, simply lies to you. No 1 story matters more than other stories. But if you believe people with worldly power who choose the news headlines you become influenced by their sole opinion of what goes on in the world. You literally miss out on love, harmony, inspiration, genius and abundance the split second you see the world through the prism of a pained, warped news maker.
I watched two sensational series recently. The Loudest Voice in the Room and Succession both woke me up and made me even more aware of the fact that 1 or 2 human beings with prejudices, biases and countless flaws determine news headlines through any one news organization. I care less about political leanings or any of that stuff. Whether CNN or Fox News or anything in between, every news organization has a heavy fear bias coloring the headlines because news makers full power and profits comes from manipulating…..YOU! Do you genuinely believe someone loves you and has your best interests at heart if they just want to control you?
Do you believe it is wise to trust one damaged person's view of the world? What happens if that person sees the world through prisms of fear, pain and suffering, based on their terrible childhood? Of course, if they never embraced, felt and purged their fear, guess how they choose to see the world and report on it? Pained people see the world through the prism of fear, pain and suffering.
Negative Influence
Imagine you implicitly trust someone who sees the world through fear, pain and suffering. Congratulations. You see the world through fear, pain and suffering too. Never mind the billions of inspired, loving stories unfolding on planet earth today. Pained people with worldly power have no interest in reporting 1 of the billions of uplifting, loving stories, because they lose their fear-motivated audience, and they also lose huge ratings, massive profits and their confident definition of a hellish world created by ego shatters before their very eyes.
Traditional news media influences you by making you belief the world – and life – seem scary, dangerous and nightmarish in nature. Good luck carrying that warped view of the world to your job, business and family life. Everything seems worse because the world you live in feels like hell. But remember that a war-based news headline serves as only 1 story out of the hundreds of billions of stories unfolding daily. If you follow the news and trust the news you choose to focus on hell amid many heavenly events, stories and experiences today.
What if the News Actually Affects You Personally?
Imagine a country goes to war and your relative gets shipped off to some far off land. Did watching the news stop your cousin from being deployed in a war? No. Did watching the news prepare you for your brother being shipped off to a war? No. Watching the news simply scared you about a traumatic event, which unfolds whether you watch the news or do not watch the news.
Eastern Wisdom
I once read a piece of ancient wisdom shared by an adept:
“When you sweep the temple courtyard, don't pick up the newspaper.”
Gurus, Zen masters and spiritual leaders teach how everything of genuine importance in life flows from within your being. A handful of human beings with worldly power and the intoxicating narcotic known as fear in their arsenal manipulate people into following a few genuinely horrible news headlines when “what is really going on in the world” is how you serve people, love people and empower people today. Do that. Live a brilliant life. Influence humans with love and positive vibes. Live your dreams. Eventually, all news zombies will learn from your example, follow suit and stop following the news.
Ultimately, no matter the news headlines, your life experience seems dominated by the thoughts and feelings you choose within and the corresponding actions you take.
In the absolutely, incredibly rarest of cases, if a one in a million natural disaster strikes your little corner of planet earth, following the news may save your life but don't you think your news watching neighbors, your intuition, the emergency broadcast system and local animal life will let you know, anyway? Let the worry worts, your gut, that alert on your phone and the bizarre flight patterns of birds and the like notify you of those rarest of rare events, and keep your TV and internet news free.
