Deciding not to listen to the news.

I can see Miranda's point but I'm not sure that it's a good thing to be completely ignorant of what's going on in the world. I hear the news headlines on the radio but I don't necessarily want too many details in my face, as it were.
If there's a big story I may put on one of the rolling news channels. I read the weekend newspapers but that's it.

Can you not ask/tell him very firmly to keep it to himself?

My dh is an avid newshound too, but he knows very well not to bombard me with it. TBH, except for a brief catch up once or twice a day, and I do look at our daily paper, although I used to watch/listen a lot, I’ve been avoiding endless news for ages. Before Covid it was Brexit I just couldn’t bear to hear about any more.

I listen to the news regularly but not for long: I am sick of the sneering and negativity that all news presenters seem to feel mandatory at present.

Does that mean that Miranda Hart sees self as more important than community.

About a year ago my DH and I made a decision to stop listening to all news. We did so up until people started talking about "this virus" in February/March. I have to say the months without it went very well. We were mildly aware of the big news items such as the general election but everything else passed us by. We really enjoyed the break and have gradually been distancing ourselves from it once again. Personally I think it did us the world of good.

Not having a go at her there just trying to unpick what she is saying. In order to preserve mental health we cant hear about the issues facing other people?

Going off on a bit of a tangent, but does anyone else think the BBC are not 'doing their job'. Instead of endlessly repeating 'Oh it's all so confusing' - they should be helping make things simple and clear. - And it wouldn't be a bad thing if they tried to raise UK morale and spoke of the many things we are right at the front of world achievements in.
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I like to hear the headlines too now, but don’t want the extended’ drama’ version of everything. I’m not a fan of Miranda Hart, so wouldn’t be interested in any of her views. She always seems a bit dim to me.

Well, that is something you may wish to do, but then please do not grumble if you do not know that your pension age has been moved even further away.
All those women saying that they did not realise that they would not get their pension at 60, did they ever think that perhaps they should have listened to the news a bit more.
If you didn't listen to the news are you going to get an enormous shock when you are asked to pay for your TV licence,
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The news is not something that is just for other people or for entertainment, it can actually affect our real lives.

I haven’t listened to any news at all for 2 years. When you live on your own you can get very upset with all the death, gloom and depression promulgated by the news programmes. If it’s not the virus, it’s global warming, famine, child abuse, rape, shootings, train crashes, plane crashes and so on. If they can’t find gloom at home they go to anywhere in the world they can find it. My mental health is much better not knowing, thank you.

Perhaps these people who can't be bothered to inform themselves about what is going on in the world and what is driving their society should not be allowed to vote?

It seems astonishing that people can deliberately make themselves ignorant of important issues and then be allowed to make decisions on them...

How can you know how to operate in society, in the current circumstances for example.

You're brave Ilovecheese. When I wrote that I just couldn't understand how women didn't know that their pension age had increased in the 1990s, I was firmly told (!) that they weren't interested in the news.

Galaxy

How can you know how to operate in society, in the current circumstances for example.

It makes you wonder what they use to decide how to vote. It makes a mockery of democracy.

I was a journalist. And I worked for the BBC. Enough to put me off the news, the media of any sort and watching TV for years. I ration my news-reading and I'm really careful what I read. I pick up the news from my phone, which presents it in bite-sized chunks and I look at one or two of them a day. I have started watching TV again but never the news programmes.

I can't imagine not knowing what was going on in the world. I'd probably feel as though I'd suddenly risen from the dead. I like to keep abreast of things in my own way and decide for myself what's fake and what isn't.

Galaxy, no I think Miranda Hart (not a fan btw) thinks mental health is of paramount importance.
Imo the idea that newshounds watch the news and read the papers avidly is interesting - most programmes about news and newspapers seem very selective in what they report and how they report it.

Obviously as one of ‘these people’ (thanks for the derogatory term by the way), what use is it to anyone if I know about an air crash in Indonesia for example, or the grooming of children in Leicester. Can I do anything about them? Of course I can’t so why do I have to have the added burden of stress about things that I cannot do anything to help. Most of the news these days seems to be opinions (varied and conflicting), gossip and innuendo.
I also have a right to vote. You can be informed and educated without watching the news.

I'm interested in knowing how you can be informed if you never watch or read the news.

EllanVannin

I can't imagine not knowing what was going on in the world. I'd probably feel as though I'd suddenly risen from the dead. I like to keep abreast of things in my own way and decide for myself what's fake and what isn't.

I can't imagine it either, although I confess I'm not hugely interested in what colour nail varnish Meghan is wearing or what the Kardashians (is that the correct spelling?) are doing.

growstuff

I'm interested in knowing how you can be informed if you never watch or read the news.

So am I, growstuff

How would you know to wear a mask for example. Never mind voting (as important as that is) I am thinking about everyday moving through society.
Is Miranda Hart an expert in mental health?

Thank you for these responses. I think I probably haven't presented Miranda's view very well and I was only using it as an example of a choice not to engage with the news and current affairs. My question really related to what you thought about avoiding news items altogether and it seems some people have chosen that option for their own well being. It's not totally for me as I do want to know what's going on and for example I miss the daily Coronavirus briefings which I felt kept me informed. However given DH's 'enjoyment' of the news and all things political there's no chance if me not hearing what's going on. Perhaps if I took the Miranda path I might be more serene and sleep better.

Teetime I think I’m married to your DH’s twin.
He is a “newshound” (great word) too, and I leave the room I don’t know how many times a day when he has the dooberry and flips the TV on to a News channel again and again.

If the news is half over - he knows how to turn it back to the beginning on our BT TV. ?