Saturday, November 23, 2024

Escaping the News Encourages Tyranny

 


Dr. Alice C. Linsley

The quote from British blogger, Steve Aitchson, seems to recommend escapism. That appears to be his personal path. Steven Aitchison spent years teaching social media growth to internet entrepreneurs. Then, he moved on to teaching how to invest in cryptocurrencies before pursuing fiction writing. He has written a number of books with the word "Witches" in the titles. The latest series is The Witches of Scotland available on Amazon.

It is the nature of journalism to report on disturbing events. Often those events have little to no impact on the lives of most people. If someone choses to dwell on real crimes, that is a matter of preference.

Were people to follow Aitchson's advice, we would become easy prey for tyrants. Tyrants must control the flow of information. They restrict access to news that implicates them or exposes their crimes.

Aitchson's attitude may reflect his views on the British media. However, a recent report on that country's leading news agency, the BBC, makes it clear that the British public generally trust that source. According to that report, the BBC journalism is "slightly less trusted by people who identify with the political right than by people in the centre and on the left." However, "it is still as trusted on the right as major conservative newspapers."

The situation on the USA is different. The major news sources represent opposing political leanings. This helps to polarize the nation. Some are so tired of the polemic that they escape by tuning out the media entirely. 

Why not try to find balance instead? Determine what you wish to know about and read what intelligent, well-informed people might say about it. Fast from the frivolous and the provocative, and from entertainment that poses as "news."

Read world news from a broad variety of online sources. I recommend these:








Rather than escape from the news, engage with news sources that provide different perspectives and remain a free thinker!