Dear Network,

I discovered two books and articles on deceleration, most recently. One of the works, by a Swiss bestselling author, advises people to renounce news consumption in order to better handle information overload, simply put. But are there only advantages to following that advice? In past, analog times, the regular household subscribed to one newspaper only. What, then, is so bad about not reading a good number of news sources on the internet, in our current times?

For one, it does not hurt to enjoy a provision of news from more than one angle, as long as the sources are trustworthy. Second, some news is of special-interest nature, with more topics under particular categories, such as technology and or information about the media as such.

Third, more and more people are silenced by comments of those who scream in the loudest voice. Which means that social media or the comment sections which are found beneath articles are oftentimes not representative of what people actually think. What is more, there are often so many comments that it becomes difficult to get the big picture.

Thus, perhaps the best idea would be to read fewer comments but to be mindful of the initial text or document prompting the comments. This is seconded by the well-known issue of filter bubbles – awareness of only small parts of the informational big picture. The lecture hence ought to be to consume more mainstream news guaranteeing common knowledge and factual veracity.

As far as initial articles written by professional journalists abiding by established standards and proceeding thoroughly, some news items are exclusively researched and written. In fact, it does not hurt to refer to journals and magazines which provide more particular content.

In sum, one ought to read both in breadth, as much as one pleases, as well as according to one’s personal interests. Not to read at times when most news is freely available should be discouraged, despite the downsides of advertising. Whether one reads on paper or on the internet, extensively or more selectively – reading the news is a necessity for all those who wish to develop their own informed opinions and who wish take a more or less active part in the overall political process. Everything else would mean renouncing of one of the most valuable goods: knowledgeable participation in society.

Thorsten Koch, MA, PgDip
Policyinstitute.net
13 July 2024