The Six-Hour News Cycle

Your phone lights up while you’re putting dishes away. An old friend sent a link to some political ragebait. It sounds unbelievable. You shoot back a laughing face.

The 6-hour news cycle is destroying us. One person says, “Oh, I heard about that…” Someone else says, “I’m so mad!” Everyone is all in a tizzy over a headline, and by tomorrow none of us will even remember what we were talking about.

The anger? That stays with us.

Each repetition makes almost complete uncertainty look like true information and unfounded assumptions sound like obvious conclusions. Nobody has to think ~ the story feels complete. The actual details don’t come out until much, much later. We’re already on to the next crisis, the next disaster, the next existential threat.

Consider taking a break from all of the yellow journalism.

By now, we’ve all heard of taking a break from alcohol. Dry January has been picking up steam in recent years and lots of people have dropped alcohol completely. Regular weed smokers take “T-breaks” to reduce their tolerance when the sticky icky doesn’t hit them like it used to.

We need to normalize taking breaks from the infinite content machine. Too much dopamine ruins us. Being present with our loved ones is how we can restore sanity into our lives.

The Quiet Between Us.

Going offline doesn’t make you cold or weak. It gives you the peace and quiet you need to hear your own inner voice ~ to hear God speak.

The screen makes life feel small because it’s right in front of your face. In some ways, we are more connected than ever… while many of us feel completely disconnected from reality.

Many of us confuse speed with honesty. We think keeping up with the news proves we notice things, we care about the world, or that we are smart and informed.

Often it only works against us! The internet makes us afraid of ourselves ~ afraid of our shadows.

“Infinite Content” ~ or infinitely discontented?

Tame the Serpent’s Tongue

You don’t have to pay attention to every story. You can pretty much ignore the news for the most part. You can also say, “I don’t know, and I don’t really care,” when something demands your attention. Your silence is your strength, and your words are your power. You will believe the things that you say, so you must protect your soul by minding your mouth.

Leave space in the conversation. A person may be trying to ask for help, and a long breath can leave enough room for them to tell you what they need. We can’t listen if we are always running our mouths… tame the serpent’s tongue and find peace in silence.