Better Ways to Be Informed

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How do you get your news? Do you consume too much news? Does it make you want to curl into a ball and cry yourself to sleep? It doesn't have to be that way! I've come up with a list of different ways to fix it.

0:00 Intro
0:35 Quit the News
1:41 Know Your Intentions
2:30 Set Limits
2:58 Ad
4:32 Back to Limits
5:11 Fix Your Feeds
6:59 Read Past the Headline
8:14 Seek Local News

VIDEOS MENTIONED

NEWSLETTERS I USE

MY PATREON!

MY STUFF

SOURCES OF GOOD NEWS

SOURCES FOR VIDEO

THANKS, PATRONS
Byron Marsh
Joseph Middleswart

[MrJoker]

your content is still in full swing. its unbelievable. i've been a fan for like, what, 10 years? how the hell do you do it man lol. Thanks for keeping at her!

[Exmogus]

"Apathy is a tragedy and boredom is a crime" should be the slogan of news companies. Great video.

[Jogwheel]

Thank you for reminding me how terrible my news-consumption habits are.

You encourage me to do better, and I appreciate that. Thanks, Craig!

[one_smol_duck]

I love this video. One of the main reasons I'm not on Twitter is because I can't stand the pressure to be constantly informed about every crisis that's happening in the world. Frankly, me knowing that someone halfway around the world is suffering does nothing to alleviate their suffering. At all. I would much rather take the time to inform myself deeply about a fight I can have an impact on, than to have a cursory understanding of all the fights happening in the world.

Basically, if you want to be an activist, you have to pick your battles. The smaller and more focused your goals are, the better chance you have of making a real impact in the world. Unless you truly have the resources to affect broad sweeping change, but most of us really don't. Publicity can help a cause, but movements need dedicated helpers more than they need curious onlookers.

And if you don't want to be an activist.... Honestly that's fine. There are a ton of people in the world. Let someone with the drive to do it take the reigns, and you just try to be a good person in your own life.

I could keep ranting but basically, I think it's important to care for your own mental health and guard against doomscrolling. But I also think that it harms activist causes when people are pressured into putting all of their motivation to make the world a better place into being informed about everything. It burns people out and it wastes energy that could be better used if focused on specific causes. It's wonderful that we have ready access to so much information these days, but that doesn't mean you as an individual have the responsibility to know it all.

[ExplicableCashew]

As a bit of a scientist ©, my biggest gripe with good news publications is them saying "researchers from __ showed that __" and simply not linking the article at all. IIRC even BBC doesn't link articles sometimes. Scientific findings are ridiculously easy to misinterpret. The reputation of the research institution can be an indicator of the quality of the research, but not of the actual result as relayed in the news. Also, was it peer reviewed or is it still in bioRxiv? This is especially important these days for obvious reasons

[bigskygamer]

I had to do a triple take at 9:22. I saw that mountain and was like "that looks familiar" then saw the capitol building and thought "wait a second....", that's my home town! Thanks for including it Craig!

[VicSinclair]

I've stopped using my phone while I'm sitting or in bed. It sounds crazy but if I stand while using social media or online news, I'm more willing to avoid all the useless time wasting crap and do exactly what I need and nothing more.

[afroceltduck]

As someone who went to journalism school 20 years ago in college, it's hard for me to admit that news isn't essential. But, yes, a LOT of news isn't essential. Some of it is, of course. But, do I really need to know what ridiculous thing a politician said? Do I need to know EVERY detail of what's happening in the pandemic? And, I hate to say it, but do I really need to know everything that's going on in every part of the world?

I think a general sense of what's going on is the best most of us can do. And I find that I mostly just don't have the time to keep up with things. There are so many other things I want to do that isn't reading the news.

[thatjillgirl]

I highly recommend actually going back to getting most news from a newspaper or two. I realized at some point that watching and listening to the news was almost always stressful, mainly just due to the presentation where they make *everything* sound deeply serious and urgent. But reading the news didn't stress me out so badly. So now I subscribe to my local newspaper for local news and the New York Times for national/global news. I stay informed but less stressed about it. Also, supporting local newspapers is important to do if you can. They serve a really valuable role in getting local information out.

[xAlbinopiratex]

There was a court case between social media and news companies in Australia.
Now we don't have the news on FB over here.
It's AMAZING!
I already don't watch or read the news, so not seeing it at all has made such a positive difference in my life 🥰

[TheDhammaHub]

As Postman said: Most news isn't newsworthy at all nowadays!

[EspressoSJ]

As a kid use to read this one newspaper & watch some of the news to be informed and pretend to be “a grown up” like my parents. (I was a very weird kid).

But when I became an adult I suddenly just decided to quit all that & almost all social media (except YouTube & Pinterest) - and it’s been almost 5 years. (I still like the newspaper I use to read - I don’t mind the news but it just ain’t for me. However that newspaper always gives weird fun memories of my childhood self).

And Craig is right - if there is really important information then likely always get it. ✌🏽

[eiya]

I'm genuinely a better person now that I never go on Twitter and actively decided not to give a shit about what people on Twitter are mad about or what the latest Twitter drama is every day. I've curated my Facebook feed into a selection of the finest shitposts and memes based on old, dead franchises and I only visit subreddits for my hobbies, like houseplants and videogames. It's improved my life drastically.

[Daymickey]

Thanks for that newsletter tip! Just signed up for Morning Brew, Future Crunch, NYTimes, and one for my.... area.

[samanthainwood]

the local news thing is spot on! I signed up for my city councillor's weekly email and it helps me know what's going on in my immediate area and has links to surveys (that whole public consultation thing). And 1000% doing something makes me feel better (even if it's just making a donation and/or emailing my MP) when there's something shitty going on

[elskabee]

i did the news quit a couple of years ago (even before the panini) and I highly recommend it for anyone who gets anxious seeing all the horrible things constantly happening that you 99.9% of the time personally can't do anything about

[andersonneil]

The book "Laziness doesn't exist" has alot of good advice on this, and other productivity problems too

[andersonneil]

I'm a big advocate for just not really reading the news consistently. I used to watch the news as a main source of entertainment. It kinda burnt me out and made me feel hopeless.

By not watching news on twitch for hours during the day I'm way happier, among other reasons for being happier, I have the mental space to do local advocacy

[heyheybobbyj]

A few months ago Wheezy tweeted about using Apple Notes and it inspired me to completely redo and reorganize my notes, reminders, and Safari bookmarks for a more organized and inspiring digital life and I have been much happier since

[hkreinke]

That twitter lists things is actually really helpful! I follow friends and people who share PD and work update info for teaching and now I can keep them separate! Yay!!