Society’s ignorance regarding the news cycle — the actual news cycle — is scaring me. The days of being able to trust journalism are gone, leading people to forget staying informed altogether. Of course, this didn’t come without cause. News has gotten annoying. It feels like every reporter’s breath is riddled with lame jabs at political discourse instead of the actual breaking news. Mainstream media has also started to weigh on people’s minds more than it should. The solution, for even the most devout political Treki, has been to either change the channel or switch off the TV completely. Will we ever be able to trust the news again, or will genuine public broadcasting become the mark of a bygone society?

The Good Ole Days 

As a child, the news was a regular part of my life. With eight kids tugging on their sleeves, my parents had NBC if they were short on time. On less hectic days, I knew Mom and Dad were probably at the table reading the paper; on Sundays it was the The Orlando Sentinel. I only cared about getting to the comics before my siblings did. It was something that brought us together and was a constant of my childhood. 

My parents were not obsessed with politics, as many are today. They simply tried to stay informed about the world around them. Everyone I knew was somewhat informed, especially during the 2008 Recession. Now, I don’t know if anyone listens to the news anymore (unless they see it in a viral video).

Since then, news itself has retrograded regarding intention and integrity. Every crucial breaking story and political update is treated like an opinion piece. News anchors act like they are on SNL and forget that their goal is to deliver facts that will alter the perspectives and lives of everyday Americans. Stories lack straight facts and are based on emotion and subjectivity, rather than telling us what actually happened. With this framework, how can anyone be expected to form their own opinion on actual events that are occurring? 

Instead of namecalling and delivering jokes that flatline, perhaps news outlets should readjust their focus. Pushing stories rooted in spin and political fearmongering also negates the ethics journalists are called to adhere to. Delivering dependable and truthful news is their duty. Anything less is irresponsible. 

False Prophets and Internet Lynchings 

When people don’t have a leader to look up to, they begin to search for other sources of information. According to Pew Research, 59 percent of X’s users report that political content drew them to the app. In other words, they are not satisfied with the political content on mainstream news platforms. Of course, most are not watching the news at all.

In this reality, “false prophets” inevitably arise while spewing misinformation and fearmongering for views. This is troubling, as it seems any online video with more than a few thousand views is deemed “credible” by less informed viewers. A 2022 report even showed that nearly 20 percent of informative content on TikTok contains misinformation. Without a genuine news source to trust, people begin to believe anything they hear. 

Though people my age make jokes about the elderly wholeheartedly believing in everything they see online, the same can be said about us. Social media’s herd mentality lends itself to the great divide of American cultural issues. At least back when we watched the news on TV, we talked politics in person instead of bullying people from behind a screen.

Informed Detoxing

True, keeping up with the news can be mentally exhausting. But, it doesn’t have to consume every moment of your life. Silencing notifications from news outlets and designating time to stay current will prevent possible political burnout. Setting a limit on your screen time and getting outside may also help.

The solution isn’t to drop the news entirely; staying current on the news will only help Americans if they manage to master their media consumption.

Either Be Aware or Beware

These days, people are either manically obsessed with the news or they don’t care at all. Excessive content consumption has resulted in toxic, politically crazed bullies, while the rest of America seems to have its head in the sand. Internet identity politics has fanned the flames of paranoia and alienation, despite this generation being the most connected yet. But, it is our civic duty as Americans to stay vigilant.

Being wholly uninformed, will only lead people to become misinformed. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on the vote or the conversation because you didn’t care enough to know.

Acknowledgement: The ideas expressed in this article are those of the individual author.