Biden unveils extreme-heat plan – but doesn’t declare climate emergency (The Guardian)
Federal appeals court allows Georgia’s six-week abortion ban to take effect immediately (CNN)
He killed four classmates in a school shooting. Will a jury convict his parents? (New York Magazine)
When I woke up this morning, I reached for my phone and started scrolling through texts, emails, and notifications, preparing for the day ahead. Upon opening my News app, I saw the top stories of today – climate change, abortion bans, and mass shootings – and instantly regretted my decision to check the news. Of the top 6 stories on the homepage, there was only one positive story, which spotlighted a young 13-year-old prodigy who was accepted to medical school. All of the other features came with heavy headlines emphasizing the tension and tragedy that has been filling the media.
Recently, when ingesting media content, I have found it very difficult to strike a balance between learning and feeling. At times, the stories that we read can lead us to feel overwhelmed or entirely consumed, especially when the content is relatable in some context. For example, when I first heard about the overturn of Roe v Wade, I went through a series of emotions, including confusion, anger, sadness, and finally, powerlessness. How could our country be taking steps backwards when it comes to women’s rights? Why aren’t the people in power protecting the marginalized communities that this will affect most? Why do people feel like they get the final say over a woman’s body? How can I do anything to stop this? I felt like there was nothing significant that I could do. No amount of social media posts or donations to abortion funds could reverse this decision, a decision made by only 5 people, meant to represent an entire nation. In the days following the overturn of Roe, I felt increased stress and anxiety each time I opened my News app, only to see more stories about the states that would impose harsh restrictions against the women residing there. When I chose to move away from the news, I’d look to other media as a distraction, only to find more stories on Instagram, TikTok, and the podcasts that I enjoy. While it is important to learn from the media, it is also important to avoid the point of consumption where you become so overwhelmed that you emotionally detach. Coupled with feelings of powerlessness, detachment may lead you to become completely disinterested and uninvolved in what is happening in the world around you.
So how do we strike a balance between learning and feeling through media coverage?
Negativity bias is a psychological quirk in humans, in which we pay more attention to the bad things happening in our world, rather than focusing on the good. It is believed that it takes only 2 seconds to remember a negative fact or thought, whereas it takes about 8 seconds to remember a good one. Due to this phenomenon, negative news gets far more attention, and news outlets craft dramatic and tragic headlines as clickbait to receive more views. This abundance of negative news coverage can change our perceptions of reality, leaving us stressed and frenzied.
While I would like to regulate the news that I consume, I know that it would be extremely difficult to limit my media intake, as the average American spends around 11 hours every day looking at some sort of screen, whether it be a TV, computer, or phone. I am trying to make an effort to stay engaged and connected to the world through news stories, while also opening myself to more conversations with friends and family about both events in the world and in their everyday lives. By discussing these stories with those who are close to me, I am hoping to engage in productive dialogue that contributes to the changes that we want to see. I also hope that our conversations about our little victories and small joys, outside of the media stories, can help me find gratitude and ground me in a more positive reality that is not defined by what I read on the screen.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200512-how-the-news-changes-the-way-we-think-and-behave