The News ... Blissfully Ignorant? or Painfully Informed? ;)

I'd rather be painfully informed personally. I'd rather worry a little than take the chances of not knowing something big that's happening in the world, my neighborhood, etc. Then again I'm nosy and just want to know everything about everything. I like to be able to converse with anyone I'm talking to about whatever their interests are.

I am trying to act like I know what OWS is too when people are talking about, I asked my hubby and he said he didn't really understand what it was all about either. The intricacies are very interwoven and all seem very important. So I have not really tried to research it much.

As for all the people living in tent cities and making some kind of protest, I don't much about that either. I didn't know who Casey Anthony was either until the uproar about her verdict.

I get focused on the end times and all seems hopeless when I watch the news and get all caught up in it. So I tend to not watch it.

I don't know what any of that is, but it doesn't make me a bad citizen, some people just don't care. It doesn't mean im uneducated.

I used to teach a class - well, several actually - that had as one tip to not watch the news. It was, specifically, television news, but the effect is the same.

The idea behind it was that if anything really important was going on, you'd find out about it one way or another (like your friends and OWS). The upside was that, if you were easily affected by the news since it's mostly bad news, you'd be better off not paying attention.

In reality (not including NPR), news outlets are out to make money, not report the news. The old newsroom cliche of "if it bleeds it leads" is unfortunately, highly accurate. Newspapers are a little better because the additional news is there if you get past the first few pages, but the majority of what they expect folks to read is super negative.

I know there's the debate about free-ranging kids, and I'm certainly not going to get into it here, but the idea behind it is that, despite what we see on the news, the world is not really that scary of a place - it's just made to look that way to sell advertising.

I don't watch television news. I read it online - I can pick and choose what's important to me without getting too bogged down in the small miseries they try to blow out of proportion (are there snakes living in the walls of your home? are your children at risk from slippery floors at their schools? tune it at 11 to find out!).

It took me quite a while to figure out what was going on at Penn State simply because I don't follow sports and it looked like a sports story for a long time. Once it stuck around a week or more, I realized there was probably something more to it and finally got informed.

It's a conscious decision I've made - you may be wondering more about the folks who simply can't be bothered to pay attention to anything but reality TV and their children's sports teams...

I am 34 years old & I almost never watch the news & I definitely never read the papers. I check stuff out a little bit online, but I don't feel any sort of urge to seek news out. I stopped back in 2002 when my husband was deployed overseas & I was home with an infant & a 2 year old. I was stressed out enough without the added insanity that constant news-watching was causing me to feel. With that being said, my husband is a very avid news-watcher & reader as are a few of my friends. I trust him to give me the info I need to keep me current & if I want more, I can always seek it out myself. I realize this is a bit of an ostrich way of living, but it works for me.

I know who the occupy people are, does that actually make me a more informed voter? When you think about how much rubbish is on the news missing a fair bit of it doesn't hurt us at all.

I am pretty sure that even those that don't watch the news know what is relevant that is happening. Just because they don't know about the trivial like occupy doesn't mean they are uninformed.

I pay attention to news, more than most really, I have had people look at me with shock and horror that I know nothing about pop culture.

I guess I am saying just because one person finds something important doesn't actually mean it is important. Cut them some slack I am sure they are not living under a rock.

idk

I have friends who could care less about politics but read our county newspaper diligently for local news like the opening of new stores, obituaries and road construction updates.

I have friends who could care less about reading local papers and are politically active and are addicted to reading NY Times or the Washington Post.

I also have friends who don't involve themselves w/any kind of media b/c they are busy cleaning the oatmeal and fruit spread off their ceiling or doing their 5 loads of laundry that day.

I also have friends who think People magazine is real news.

I personally wish I had more friends who watch the news and are politically active/interested. I love good debates and discussions on the pros/cons of big/small gov't.

We were living with my husband's Russian grandfather during the OJ Simpson trial and he didn't speak English. He had no idea who OJ Simpson was, nor did he care to. I say he was better off.

Yes, I know people like this. I think they're crazy. While many are just disinterested in current events, I think most non-watchers, non-readers or non-listeners are social and intellectual snobs and their motives to avoid mainstream news is shallow (they claim news is too fluff, biased, or spiritually devoid). As biased and unbalanced most news coverage can be today, IMO it is a necessary evil for survival in our very complicated society. To ignore the news is to put your personal freedoms and way of life at risk.

Like it or not, world events, big and small impact our lives. It doesn't matter how the news is packaged or delivered, information is power. This is why throughout history attempts to censor the media have been so bitterly fought and the American constitution that protectss free speech and a free press is so envied.

Only an idiot will bury their head in the sand because they think the news too sensational or lacking in intelligence, devoid of fact or even boring. History continuously proves these are the very people who pay a dear price for their "ignorant bliss" as they are the ones who find themselves losing their heads in a guillotine, witnesssing the attempted extermination of a racial group, the loss of their culture and politcial freedoms because of a grass-roots driven coup, or homeless because of a financial market gone wrong during a time of corporate excess at the expense of an uninformed public.

When the masses are uninformed due to censorship whether it is enforced by an evil dictator or self-imposed by personal preference/choice...bad things happen.

All I can say is that I don't want my child in their uninformed classroom!

If you do not know about something you cannot value it and if you don't value it you are destined to lose it. Does anyone really want to live in a country with no free press at all?
If they have never heard of OWS then they are not fully engaged in American life, how could you not have ever even heard of it? Some news is useless but to not take in any information about what's going on in their country, whether it be politics, economic trends, pop culture or local news is just irresponsible. It's how we develop opinions about where this country is going, don't they care about that? Free speech is use it or lose it kind of thing. Even with second grade, awards or not, I would not want them teaching my kids.

To be honest they are not missing anything about OWS, lol. OWS has not accomplished anything good in their 2-3 months of protesting.

I watch the news & listen to the news too much. I am borderline obsessed. I know nothing about celebrities or regular t.v. shows.

I just hope these friends of yours are not voting. Voters have an obligation to educate themselves and if they aren't, then they have no business voting.

I think there should be a balance between the two extremes. Could it be that your friends used this as an excuse to not get into a discussion about events that could be very controversial?

I try to watch the news on Fox, and read the local newspaper. They offer perspectives from opposite ends of the political spectrum so I think it provides a good balance. I used to be very left-wing ultra liberal in my political views. But as I get older and see more of life, people, government, unions and the inside of companies (I consult employers and unions on matters relating to HR, finance and insurance) my political views have undergone dramatic changes and I find myself being much more conservative. Who would have ever thought!

So I try to avoid any discussion involving politics or current events that could be controversial with people I love and care about. If I were having dinner with old friends who knew me when I was uber-liberal I might feign ignorance about OWS too. ;o) It would avoid lots of conflict.

It frightens me. I mean. You really, as an educated employed adult (meaning- you have 5 brain cells to rub together and you hold a lawful job), ought to have some inkling of what is going on. You would have to willfully avoid hearing/listening to anything. If they know nothing, then it is not accidental that they don't know. At least, that is my opinion--how else can you explain it. I may not know every last detail about OWS (or whatever political/societal issue is today's headline), but I have at least HEARD of it, and have some clue as to what it is.
To be a teacher, of any grade, and to willfully choose not to engage with the world outside your home and classroom seems a bit creepy. Sorry if it offends. But... that's how it seems to me.
Even my kids could do better than what those folks knew. And one is still in elementary.

Great question....

Just want to add that my sister is a 1st grade teacher, plus has 3 kids, all very active in extra curricular sports and music, her husband is a police officer, and she knows nothing about current events.

Have you ever been with 30+ 6 year olds all day, 5 days a week, with no time to hardly take a pee, or eat lunch without a little one tugging on you?

I know my sister does not have the energy to keep up with the news, which unfortunately has been heavily influenced and thus ruined by Hollywood's style.

I can't stand being strung along while watching the new., Simply put, please just tell me what happened, but NO, they have to advertise the headlines with hype and you the viewer must wait for the punchline...and a ridiculous a amount of time is spent discussing celebrities.....

So, maybe you could help your friends stay informed with this annual tradition?

I watched the news this morning but I too do not watch the news or read the newspaper regularly. I stay informed by a local radio station that I listen to every morning and at work. I began to feel that the news will air exaclty what they want me to know from their point of view. I have learned so much politcally from the news station that I listen to because of the callers that call in who are seasoned in thier community, goverment ect. I get to listen to all sides of a particular situations and come up with my own stance and not just what side the news will decide to cover. My local station will not only cover the news but has a ton of guest speakers on that are seasoned in Finance, forclusure, ect.. I have to add that I have learned a lot from the Mama's on here concerning politics escp OWS!

Added: I have to say I could have a well informed convo with my peers who do watch the news and give them more information. I tried to listen to NPR but they were to LA D DAH for me.

At first, those who grew up more or less without tv felt anyone who did not read a daily newspaper from front to back page were terribly uninformed.
Those who were REALLY in the know read several papers everyday.
Newspapers are to tv like the book is to a movie - sometimes too much of the story gets chopped to fit the format.
Throw in commercial breaks and tv news can be very watered down.
Now we're in the cyber age, and again, sometimes the story is chopped to fit the media (and extremely short attention spans).
It's also true that sometimes too much news can be very overwhelming.
After burning out on news during 9/11, I did turn the tv off more - I just could not watch that footage anymore.
I understand tuning out when it becomes too stressful.
For some subjects - knowing more does nothing but irritate your ulcers.
I tend to get my news these day from 3 sites 1) BBC, 2) CNN 3) local news paper site.
I find the BBC reporting to be very informative especially with regard to events that happen in the US.
They don't spin or sensationalize as much as most US news sources do.
When you come across someone who's totally uninformed, you have an opportunity to pique their interest enough that they might go on to look something up.

I think they should have at least known about OWS. I don't know what it's about, because neither do they - for the most part. But to not know at all? I mean what rock are they living under?

Not that ALL news doesn't come with a slant, but how do you not watch, read, or listen to some of it? I check it several times daily - both local and national. It'd be scary for me to not know what's going on!

ETA - my way is the only way, so if it's not my way then they are wrong!! KIDDING!! I just reread my answer and read it that way though, and I didn't mean it to come off that way. They may be living under a rock, just a different one than mine :). Because I know nothing about Hollywood! LOL

LeeLee, I really liked this post, so even though you wrote your what happened, I'd like to reply.
I like to be blissfully ignorant, it makes my life easier. I have so much to deal with on my own. However, when something interests me and catches my attention I research it as thoroughly as I can.
Personally when it comes to voting and political views, I research some, not all of them. I think that we are all ignorant in one way or another, and I have come to find that other people that don't watch the news like myself don't do it because some news sometimes just break your heart, and those news unfortunately are the news that sell, therefore the ones we find more often.

Very interesting points expressed here I liked it a lot XD

I think it is important to know what’s going on in our country and local areas. There are things that are reported that affect everyone and yes a lot of it is garbage too. As for other countries there are times when I wish I didn’t know what was going on, but I think something’s should be know.
Since they are teachers (even teaching small children) I would think they should have some idea of current events. Maybe they do know and didn't want to talk politics.
I too have gone on vacation and not kept up with current events, but I couldn't live that way all the time.

It could be said it's politics greatest weapon - to be so boring no one pays any attention. Add to that the continuous futile feeling which comes from voting and is anyone really surprised people don't stay current?

you know, i know more about what's going on in the world than the US, unfortunately i got lost and put off by tea party and their rallies that i just lost track. everything is going downhill and honestly i cannot keep up with the scandals with politicians, these groups coming out of woodworks etc. all i know is that we don't have any worthy candidate for next election and that we are being taxed to death. now the question is, this limited knowledge of mine helps me with what? taxes? nope.
so, i don't get surprised anymore by anything. i feel like we are in this black hole and i just don't see a way out.

I do not spend a lot of time following the news as it depresses me and I am very busy. However i think you would have to be under a rock to not hear of OWS, and other big news stories in our country. And I do feel an obligation to be informed of local and national issues so I can vote, as voting is the cornerstone of our country. And I spend my days (work and home) with kindergartners and first graders, work is not an excuse. There is a big piece of me who would LIKE to be blissfully ignorant.....

It depends on how long, and what else they are doing. I missed the LA riots when they happened (around 1991). About 3 days later a friend mentioned them and I looked at him blankly. He was floored, and said "LA is burning, and you missed it?"

I had been very wrapped up in a personal crisis, and hadn't paid attention to the news for about a week. Under normal circumstances nothing of import would have happened. But, it didn't mean I was completely out of touch with reality, just breaking news. Even then I was a fairly well-informed person.

Then again, occupy wall street has been going on for a lot longer, so I probably would have noticed that. Although, around that time, maybe not.

I havent a clue... and dont care...

Seriously the news come on in my house at least 2 times a day but the political stuff I havent a clue on. I don't know who is full of bull and who isnt!