This is all interesting, Betsy. I have to say that for me, news and curiosity are not two things I would put together. In fact, they might be opposites. I am curious about many things. Rarely is that curiosity stimulated by the news. I have to confess that I've been news-light for quite a while now, so maybe that's part of it. Long before the election, I'd come to realize that I really want my focus to be on the place where I live and that community. I don't go to the news to find out about that. In fact, much of the "news" doesn't care at all about the kind of community I live in, a very small town in Indiana. I think that's part of my problem with "news."
What stimulates my curiosity is being in the world and the news is the opposite of that for me. I get curious about what's happening in my backyard. Are those black vultures or turkey vultures? I get curious about what's happening between those two people sitting next to me in the coffee shop. I get very curious when I read a novel set in a place or a time period I didn't know anything about. I get curious when I listen to podcasts, but these are not news-based podcasts. I get curious after a conversation with friends. I get curious when I have no idea what my students are talking about and they get to teach me. I get curious striking up a conversation with the people beside me at my local bar. I live in a place that the "news" hardly ever touches and yet, there are infinite things to be curious about here. A lifetime isn't enough to ask all the questions, let alone find all the answers.
I find what I want more than news right now are networks. Information flows through networks and I think we'll need information. But I don't know if the news is the best place for that anymore. I want to know what people are doing in other communities to get ready for what's coming. I want to know what they've already been doing. I want to connect up in ways that are useful and inspiring.
I think there was a period in the collective culture when we sacrificed deep knowledge of the places where we live our lives for superficial knowledge of some "world out there." The world on social media. Or the world of celebrities and politicians. We took up residence there and abandoned our neighborhoods. I think this is a huge part of what landed us in this moment. I hope this is the time when we begin to swing back.
Thanks as always for helping me think through these things with you.
Ugh. The news. I have pretty much tuned it out, especially since the election, but I started to wean off even prior to that. It was just too much. I do read Wapo and NYTimes but not the political stuff.
And now, I am once again going to try to read Middlemarch.
Yes! Yes! I'm convinced the way to stay alive to the world and vital is to stay curious. Like so many others, I have stopped reading the "commentary"/listening to the "commentary" that is not news. In stopping, I realized what habit it had become and how I spent my time. Not any more. Not for now. But this doesn't mean I"m not participating in the world, but my definition of what constitutes "news" is changing.
Well said. The election has shown me that National News is often just noise repeated over and over. What matters first is what is happening on my block, my neighborhood and my city. I have often refused to be stressed by what I heard from voices that assumed I agreed with them. I choose to pay attention to what is happening in front of me and that is the beginning of my duty as a good citizen.
It's certainly the place to start because it is truly where we can have the most impact. Whatever is happening at the national or global level sifts down to all of us and we have to 1) be aware and 2) act in the way that makes the most sense and does the most good.
Substack now has several news aggregators that are independent. Drop Site News and The Bulwark come quickly to mind. Remember that independent doesn't mean *neutral*. I know of no news source that is neutral. The BBC, NPR, Guardian, etc. all have a very observable lens, as does Drop Site and even Bulwark, which has an explicit non partisan mission. Even nonprofits have their click bait issues, but they are still better than the corporates. Local TV news stations in the US are now often owned by a single corporate conglomerate--look for independent, local newspapers, if possible. There is a new national print newspaper (a broadsheet, no less!) that focuses on regional, mostly rural reporting, called County Highway--the author Walter Kirn is one of the founders. There are also aggregator sites like "Naked Capitalism", which has been curating thoughtful, independent writing on economics since the oughts.
To repeat, all of these are sources of excellent writing, and they all do have a political--in the general sense--lens through which they interpret the world. But to me, it's fine that publications have a lens, especially when we read widely. What's problematic is when we read uncritically--when we read only to confirm what we already think. The trick is to read with curiosity.
I think X has gotten a bad name as a source, undeservedly. Its owner is clear about his lens, but tens of thousands of independent writers and journalists still post their links there and despite the rumors to the contrary, I find their work easily every day. I use the app's "lists" feature and avoid almost all of the scourges that others suffer. I don't know why this is not a better known feature as no other social media channel has it. It works much like my beloved Google reader used to work. By making my own lists on X, I choose what I see in my feed. Imagine what this means for a moment! I highly recommend learning how to use the "lists" function on X as a way to aggregate your favorite writing.
Above all, don't let the algorithm choose what you read. Instagram, Facebook, and Threads are all perfectly engineered to show you anything that makes you scroll and in general this means anything that makes you upset or insecure. They should never, ever be a source of information other than photos of your friends or new TV shows or things to buy.
For years now, I always look for a second and third source on anything I read that seems to have "clear" ramifications, because almost nothing is ever that simple.There is always more detail needed. There is always a verb or a phrase that shows what has been elided. Reading critically, as a reflex, even when I agree--especially when I agree-- has stood me in good stead, including all through COVID.
I love the reminder about seeking out long form writing! This bring us back to Substack, too, as a great source. I have also returned to reading proper, printed books when I wake up in the morning. I had lost the habit and am getting it back now, in part because I switched back to a dumb phone. But that's another story!
Thanks for shining the light, as always, Elizabeth!!.
Thanks Courtney. No argument there: all sources have a lens and the key, as you say, is to be aware of them. The best work leaves me with a clearer set of questions to keep trying to answer.
Thanks for sharing the sources you use. I bailed on Twitter when it was still Twitter just after it was purchased by Musk. Lists are very helpful but not enough to make me want to go to there... I, too, am not neutral, I find! This is something I will have to grapple with as I consider where I am going to focus and spend my time.
I do follow news sources on BlueSky now to see what they are writing about but I prefer to go to the publications themselves in general and read as I would normally read. I've found a way to group them so that I can get to them easily.
There is no question that any publication that is available online has click bait issues. I have started to read more of my newspapers through the country library which offers only the daily print editions. There's a marked difference in what is prioritized and even included. And throughout the day on the news sites, headlines shift around, stories are recycled, and more opinion/commentary is included and highlighted.
I am really happy to learn about Kirn's publication County Highway. That is right up my alley. I think we need more balanced reporting from the rural areas of our country. I'm going to check it out. Thank you for that!
Two shows that I've long adored that could/should meet your curiosity needs: Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes, both on CBS. Fareek Ahzeed's weekly show (CNN?) and BBC are favorites, too.
No, we can't allow our soul-saving ostrich strategy (I liked your analogy to our pandemic cocooning, Betsy) crucify our curiosity! In thst way, 'they' would win!
Okay, I went through the list of articles from the WaPo at the end and carefully replaced all but one of the links with gift links. I wasn't sure but guessed that these were the ones you referred to - there were links elsewhere in the post as well to the WaPo. I only had enough for six of them. When you get a moment, will you check and see if you can access one or two of them?
As I get older I find my curiosity with the world has been diminished, and I no longer seek out new discoveries. I believe if I stay in my comfortable bubble, I am safer and saner.
I feel that most of us live in bubbles of information, not able or willing to cross into new territories that might inform us from another angle or perspective. In the future, few will enjoy the nightly news on regular channels, and even fewer will watch cable news.
So we are left with podcasts (seems EVERYONE has one or even 2), Youtube channels, Threads, X, Blue Sky, F-book, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, et al. Few readers want to devour longer articles; VERY short and succinct is the preference.
I believe, sadly, that those so-called "bubbles" allowed a win for TRUMP because real news failed to reach enough of our voting population.
Therefore, the challenge in our futures is to discover truthful, unfiltered NEWS that will connect without having to make herculean efforts to discover it.
I personally believe that most of our world will remain inside our chosen news bubbles, not allowing "other" news to filter to our ears. Sad; we may be missing out on so much.
I do marvel at the number of single channel sources -- Substack, YouTube, all the socials. I know I'm an outlier when it comes to reading longer pieces and sinking in more. Still, I feel that even if I remain in the minority, I will be able to function more effectively. That's the hope anyway.
Thanks for commenting! I am so sorry it was such a trial to do so this week.
I have to say, as a veteran journalist and the son of a Jewish refugee from the Third Reich, I firmly believe that AVOIDING that comfortable bubble is vital to my own wellbeing as well as that of my family. A keen awareness of what is going on around us--locally, nationally, internationally--is essential , even if it means plowing through the reams of superficial crap that many of our media outlets spew out on a daily basis. And in troubled times, that awareness may often be only the first step. Given Trump's stated aim of ridding this country of undocumented aliens, it is useful to revisit the words of Martin Neimoller: https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/first-they-came-by-pastor-martin-niemoller/
Yes to all of this. I think another way to avoid bubbles is to be prepared to read and = gather from many sources but to be discerning about what to pay attention to. Being aware is and remains important. I am trying to test the theory that discernment can keep me from being hip-deep in the superficial and that I will end up with a better understanding of what is happening as it happens but also to go deeper to learn and to participate.
I used to be a news junkie but am taking a break and realizing so much of our news media is not telling us anything we don’t already know. In lieu of that, I have researched and sought out organizations that are working to protect immigrants and refugees in my community and provide housing for homeless people. I’ll always feel the need to assist the less fortunate but even more so going forward in the coming years.
There can be relief in focusing and in doing and it is so much more real. What I've found, too, is that a focus like the one you're describing can lead to the desire to be more aware of the events/policies/decisions that can affect the groups of people you are trying to help. Having a motivation like that helps concentrate my attention and deepen what I am able to learn.
I applaud and support your efforts from afar. Keep us posted!
Show me what is real is my new walking meditation. I got my library card for our new town this week. San Diego. Where I lived as a small child and where I now live as a crone. I deleted my Instagram account. Canceled the NYT and the LA Times where my husband and I met years ago. I will keep writing and posting in this app and I use Bluesky. Aware that the blizzard of bits is not as real to me as my friends and family. Human voices. A walk with our dog. Thank you for this.
Walking is tried and true for me as well. If you have a county library card, you can have access online to the New York Times, LA Times, and many others across the country and internationally - magazines too. If/when you want to read any news, this is a way to do it. The library editions reflect the print editions rather than the online versions which have more opinion, rapidly changing headlines, and lots of shuffling of stories that are not new but are moved around based on what they know/think will grab the eye.
Perhaps we can walk together sometime and listen to each other's voices or nothing at all.
Then you know about the newspapers. I find that the county library offers a lot more in this vein than the city library for some reason. I'll reach out for that walk when things settle down here.
Wow!! I love this!! And I’m so grateful for the shoutout.
A few weeks ago I saw Conclave. I’ve had a line stuck in my brain ever since: “certainty is the enemy of unity.” I kept hearing that as I read this. If we’re so focused on “templates” or on how things “should be” you’re going to miss so much. And probably miss out on some peace.
For security we need to re-authenticate you. This is what I get ea time I try to comment; the option of a password doesn't work either. Guess I have too pass; too much work.
I don't know why I'm not recognized immediately to post a comment? I have been directed to respond to an email notification that "usually" gives me an OK. But this last time it didn't give me access on my MAC which I generally use to post commentary on your site. It did allow it on my iphone. Initially I had no problems posting; this problem surfaced in the past 3 or 4 substack postings for some (?) reason.
This is driving me NUTS. I still can't sign in on my MAC; it keeps directing me to sign in, but I don't find anyway to do that? Why am I not recognized?
This is all interesting, Betsy. I have to say that for me, news and curiosity are not two things I would put together. In fact, they might be opposites. I am curious about many things. Rarely is that curiosity stimulated by the news. I have to confess that I've been news-light for quite a while now, so maybe that's part of it. Long before the election, I'd come to realize that I really want my focus to be on the place where I live and that community. I don't go to the news to find out about that. In fact, much of the "news" doesn't care at all about the kind of community I live in, a very small town in Indiana. I think that's part of my problem with "news."
What stimulates my curiosity is being in the world and the news is the opposite of that for me. I get curious about what's happening in my backyard. Are those black vultures or turkey vultures? I get curious about what's happening between those two people sitting next to me in the coffee shop. I get very curious when I read a novel set in a place or a time period I didn't know anything about. I get curious when I listen to podcasts, but these are not news-based podcasts. I get curious after a conversation with friends. I get curious when I have no idea what my students are talking about and they get to teach me. I get curious striking up a conversation with the people beside me at my local bar. I live in a place that the "news" hardly ever touches and yet, there are infinite things to be curious about here. A lifetime isn't enough to ask all the questions, let alone find all the answers.
I find what I want more than news right now are networks. Information flows through networks and I think we'll need information. But I don't know if the news is the best place for that anymore. I want to know what people are doing in other communities to get ready for what's coming. I want to know what they've already been doing. I want to connect up in ways that are useful and inspiring.
I think there was a period in the collective culture when we sacrificed deep knowledge of the places where we live our lives for superficial knowledge of some "world out there." The world on social media. Or the world of celebrities and politicians. We took up residence there and abandoned our neighborhoods. I think this is a huge part of what landed us in this moment. I hope this is the time when we begin to swing back.
Thanks as always for helping me think through these things with you.
Ugh. The news. I have pretty much tuned it out, especially since the election, but I started to wean off even prior to that. It was just too much. I do read Wapo and NYTimes but not the political stuff.
And now, I am once again going to try to read Middlemarch.
Books—the great escape.
Yes! Yes! I'm convinced the way to stay alive to the world and vital is to stay curious. Like so many others, I have stopped reading the "commentary"/listening to the "commentary" that is not news. In stopping, I realized what habit it had become and how I spent my time. Not any more. Not for now. But this doesn't mean I"m not participating in the world, but my definition of what constitutes "news" is changing.
Well said. The election has shown me that National News is often just noise repeated over and over. What matters first is what is happening on my block, my neighborhood and my city. I have often refused to be stressed by what I heard from voices that assumed I agreed with them. I choose to pay attention to what is happening in front of me and that is the beginning of my duty as a good citizen.
It's certainly the place to start because it is truly where we can have the most impact. Whatever is happening at the national or global level sifts down to all of us and we have to 1) be aware and 2) act in the way that makes the most sense and does the most good.
To add to your excellent list:
Substack now has several news aggregators that are independent. Drop Site News and The Bulwark come quickly to mind. Remember that independent doesn't mean *neutral*. I know of no news source that is neutral. The BBC, NPR, Guardian, etc. all have a very observable lens, as does Drop Site and even Bulwark, which has an explicit non partisan mission. Even nonprofits have their click bait issues, but they are still better than the corporates. Local TV news stations in the US are now often owned by a single corporate conglomerate--look for independent, local newspapers, if possible. There is a new national print newspaper (a broadsheet, no less!) that focuses on regional, mostly rural reporting, called County Highway--the author Walter Kirn is one of the founders. There are also aggregator sites like "Naked Capitalism", which has been curating thoughtful, independent writing on economics since the oughts.
To repeat, all of these are sources of excellent writing, and they all do have a political--in the general sense--lens through which they interpret the world. But to me, it's fine that publications have a lens, especially when we read widely. What's problematic is when we read uncritically--when we read only to confirm what we already think. The trick is to read with curiosity.
I think X has gotten a bad name as a source, undeservedly. Its owner is clear about his lens, but tens of thousands of independent writers and journalists still post their links there and despite the rumors to the contrary, I find their work easily every day. I use the app's "lists" feature and avoid almost all of the scourges that others suffer. I don't know why this is not a better known feature as no other social media channel has it. It works much like my beloved Google reader used to work. By making my own lists on X, I choose what I see in my feed. Imagine what this means for a moment! I highly recommend learning how to use the "lists" function on X as a way to aggregate your favorite writing.
Above all, don't let the algorithm choose what you read. Instagram, Facebook, and Threads are all perfectly engineered to show you anything that makes you scroll and in general this means anything that makes you upset or insecure. They should never, ever be a source of information other than photos of your friends or new TV shows or things to buy.
For years now, I always look for a second and third source on anything I read that seems to have "clear" ramifications, because almost nothing is ever that simple.There is always more detail needed. There is always a verb or a phrase that shows what has been elided. Reading critically, as a reflex, even when I agree--especially when I agree-- has stood me in good stead, including all through COVID.
I love the reminder about seeking out long form writing! This bring us back to Substack, too, as a great source. I have also returned to reading proper, printed books when I wake up in the morning. I had lost the habit and am getting it back now, in part because I switched back to a dumb phone. But that's another story!
Thanks for shining the light, as always, Elizabeth!!.
Thanks Courtney. No argument there: all sources have a lens and the key, as you say, is to be aware of them. The best work leaves me with a clearer set of questions to keep trying to answer.
Thanks for sharing the sources you use. I bailed on Twitter when it was still Twitter just after it was purchased by Musk. Lists are very helpful but not enough to make me want to go to there... I, too, am not neutral, I find! This is something I will have to grapple with as I consider where I am going to focus and spend my time.
I do follow news sources on BlueSky now to see what they are writing about but I prefer to go to the publications themselves in general and read as I would normally read. I've found a way to group them so that I can get to them easily.
There is no question that any publication that is available online has click bait issues. I have started to read more of my newspapers through the country library which offers only the daily print editions. There's a marked difference in what is prioritized and even included. And throughout the day on the news sites, headlines shift around, stories are recycled, and more opinion/commentary is included and highlighted.
I am really happy to learn about Kirn's publication County Highway. That is right up my alley. I think we need more balanced reporting from the rural areas of our country. I'm going to check it out. Thank you for that!
I would love to learn how to group publications on BlueSky! I will go and look at your profile and see if I can emulate!
Two shows that I've long adored that could/should meet your curiosity needs: Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes, both on CBS. Fareek Ahzeed's weekly show (CNN?) and BBC are favorites, too.
No, we can't allow our soul-saving ostrich strategy (I liked your analogy to our pandemic cocooning, Betsy) crucify our curiosity! In thst way, 'they' would win!
These are all good sources that always make me want to know more. Thank you, PJ. I don't really want to be an ostrich. Most of the time.
I thought you'd like to know all the links to WaPo are behind a pay wall.
Okay, I went through the list of articles from the WaPo at the end and carefully replaced all but one of the links with gift links. I wasn't sure but guessed that these were the ones you referred to - there were links elsewhere in the post as well to the WaPo. I only had enough for six of them. When you get a moment, will you check and see if you can access one or two of them?
I clicked each link, the only one I was allowed to read was The Numbers one.
I am very sorry. I'll give it another try tomorrow but it may not be possible.
Thank you. I thought I'd find it so they were gift links. I'll try to fix it
As I get older I find my curiosity with the world has been diminished, and I no longer seek out new discoveries. I believe if I stay in my comfortable bubble, I am safer and saner.
I feel that most of us live in bubbles of information, not able or willing to cross into new territories that might inform us from another angle or perspective. In the future, few will enjoy the nightly news on regular channels, and even fewer will watch cable news.
So we are left with podcasts (seems EVERYONE has one or even 2), Youtube channels, Threads, X, Blue Sky, F-book, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, et al. Few readers want to devour longer articles; VERY short and succinct is the preference.
I believe, sadly, that those so-called "bubbles" allowed a win for TRUMP because real news failed to reach enough of our voting population.
Therefore, the challenge in our futures is to discover truthful, unfiltered NEWS that will connect without having to make herculean efforts to discover it.
I personally believe that most of our world will remain inside our chosen news bubbles, not allowing "other" news to filter to our ears. Sad; we may be missing out on so much.
I do marvel at the number of single channel sources -- Substack, YouTube, all the socials. I know I'm an outlier when it comes to reading longer pieces and sinking in more. Still, I feel that even if I remain in the minority, I will be able to function more effectively. That's the hope anyway.
Thanks for commenting! I am so sorry it was such a trial to do so this week.
I have to say, as a veteran journalist and the son of a Jewish refugee from the Third Reich, I firmly believe that AVOIDING that comfortable bubble is vital to my own wellbeing as well as that of my family. A keen awareness of what is going on around us--locally, nationally, internationally--is essential , even if it means plowing through the reams of superficial crap that many of our media outlets spew out on a daily basis. And in troubled times, that awareness may often be only the first step. Given Trump's stated aim of ridding this country of undocumented aliens, it is useful to revisit the words of Martin Neimoller: https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/first-they-came-by-pastor-martin-niemoller/
Yes to all of this. I think another way to avoid bubbles is to be prepared to read and = gather from many sources but to be discerning about what to pay attention to. Being aware is and remains important. I am trying to test the theory that discernment can keep me from being hip-deep in the superficial and that I will end up with a better understanding of what is happening as it happens but also to go deeper to learn and to participate.
Thank you for this, for the thoughtful reflection and all the links to further reading.
You're very welcome, Rita. Thank you for reading!
I used to be a news junkie but am taking a break and realizing so much of our news media is not telling us anything we don’t already know. In lieu of that, I have researched and sought out organizations that are working to protect immigrants and refugees in my community and provide housing for homeless people. I’ll always feel the need to assist the less fortunate but even more so going forward in the coming years.
There can be relief in focusing and in doing and it is so much more real. What I've found, too, is that a focus like the one you're describing can lead to the desire to be more aware of the events/policies/decisions that can affect the groups of people you are trying to help. Having a motivation like that helps concentrate my attention and deepen what I am able to learn.
I applaud and support your efforts from afar. Keep us posted!
Show me what is real is my new walking meditation. I got my library card for our new town this week. San Diego. Where I lived as a small child and where I now live as a crone. I deleted my Instagram account. Canceled the NYT and the LA Times where my husband and I met years ago. I will keep writing and posting in this app and I use Bluesky. Aware that the blizzard of bits is not as real to me as my friends and family. Human voices. A walk with our dog. Thank you for this.
Walking is tried and true for me as well. If you have a county library card, you can have access online to the New York Times, LA Times, and many others across the country and internationally - magazines too. If/when you want to read any news, this is a way to do it. The library editions reflect the print editions rather than the online versions which have more opinion, rapidly changing headlines, and lots of shuffling of stories that are not new but are moved around based on what they know/think will grab the eye.
Perhaps we can walk together sometime and listen to each other's voices or nothing at all.
I’d love to walk with you. I’m a retired librarian so I’m plugged into the power of the public library.
Then you know about the newspapers. I find that the county library offers a lot more in this vein than the city library for some reason. I'll reach out for that walk when things settle down here.
Wow!! I love this!! And I’m so grateful for the shoutout.
A few weeks ago I saw Conclave. I’ve had a line stuck in my brain ever since: “certainty is the enemy of unity.” I kept hearing that as I read this. If we’re so focused on “templates” or on how things “should be” you’re going to miss so much. And probably miss out on some peace.
I really appreciate that line about certainty. You are right, it is the enemy of thought and, eventually, peace. Thanks, Caroline!
OK; I'm in, but now too exhausted to write anything.
I am able to comment on my iphone; NOT my MAX
For security we need to re-authenticate you. This is what I get ea time I try to comment; the option of a password doesn't work either. Guess I have too pass; too much work.
I'm sorry you had such trouble. Is it more or less okay now?
I don't know why I'm not recognized immediately to post a comment? I have been directed to respond to an email notification that "usually" gives me an OK. But this last time it didn't give me access on my MAC which I generally use to post commentary on your site. It did allow it on my iphone. Initially I had no problems posting; this problem surfaced in the past 3 or 4 substack postings for some (?) reason.
Okay, I will check it out. In the meantime, please keep trying or use your phone, I love hearing from you!
This is driving me NUTS. I still can't sign in on my MAC; it keeps directing me to sign in, but I don't find anyway to do that? Why am I not recognized?