Have you watched the local evening news lately? I don't watch it but once a month or so. When ever I do, I get depressed. Here is usually the rundown of the local news in Seattle.
1. Someone got shot.
2. There was a fire.
3. There was a traffic accident.
4. A child got abducted.
5. Someone got caught doing something and now we're going to run their name into the ground.
6. The weather.
7. Sports.
8. One last story that lasts 15 seconds and is probably about some community garden that exists somewhere you've never heard of.
Its annoying. Where's the good news? Where's the positivity? As Michael Moore said, "if it bleeds, it leads". True, but very very sad.
I get most of my news from the Internet, and the local paper. It seems you can find more of it and less of the sensationalism that way. But even in that medium there exists a problem- what news they will share, how they will cover it, and how it can be found.
Take for example this story here. Its a story about how the US economy grew in the 3rd quarter, which indicates that the recession that we have been in since 2007 is now unofficially over.
Folks, this is great news for America. We've been in an economic slump since 2007 and for the first time the indicators are showing a turn around.
Your phone should be ringing off the hook. You should be getting text messages from your friends. Every news organization right now should have it as their lead story.
Do you remember a few months back when that one entertainer guy who sang songs and was a little odd, died unexpectedly? They sure covered that story didn't they? For weeks they covered that story.
What's the nugget? The world isn't always as bad as the media tries to make it. Sensationalism and negativity seem to run the show. Find ways to find good news and see how much difference it makes in your day. Talk to your friends and co-workers about the good stuff that is going on, not the negative stuff.
Here's what will happen- you will feel better and so will those around you. You won't dwell on those things that you cannot control or change, but will have a renewed sense of optimism.
I've used this verse before, but it illustrates a point once again- Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Be blessed
matt
The news is no longer about the news, its about entertainment. Now apparently Americans like to be entertained by violence, abductions and scandal since that is what shows like CSI, theforgotten and without a trace are all about. It's also addictive to most people. They want to "know what's going on" and this is how they grown used to being informed.
ReplyDeleteI'll admit to being much more of a doom and gloomer than most people, but I haven't watched TV news in years. You can't change anything they are telling you about so you are left to reflect on the negative.
Bad news has also sold well. It's interesting to read newspaper clippings from 200 years ago and find they too are full of bad news. However, the difference between then and now is the speed at which this bad news is revealed. Now, bad news is everywhere (newspaper, TV, internet) all the time. I find when I step back and take a vacation from it I feel so much better about the world and others that share it with me.
ReplyDeleteGospel = good news. Let's broadcast that :)
ReplyDelete