Once upon a time I wrote this (https://bigvaiandshiphrah.com/2021/01/07/no-news-is-good-news/), which I am proud of. It’s a fun read (unbiased and fact-checked statement). But I thought I’d revisit the subject. Because… I’ve relapsed. Into ignorance. And I love it. Take that, Dad!
First. Yes, we should care about truth. And yes, news media (of a variety of sorts, like social media, traditional, indie, and alternative, etc.) provide that to a degree regarding the happenings of the world.
But now my thoughts have developed (which means I’ve devolved again). Two major principles are at play: primarily a commitment to truth (you gotta have that) and careful stewardship of time. In order to practically value truthfulness, we need to be pursuing truth through cross-examination of news sources. That would require substantial time and energy—resources I believe are better invested elsewhere. Hence, I consciously limit my direct consumption of news to about roughly nothing.
I tried to be civilised. I really did. I even paid money to be civilised with a subscription to The Economist (which wasn’t cheap! I’m just that civilised, or was), but now I’m back into the blissful state of ignorance and it’s a wonderful time. My knuckles dragging through the mud of my own mundane existence and my simple connection to other people in my general vicinity who sometimes throw rocks at me and sometimes pick fleas off me.
I trust that genuinely important information will reach me naturally through conversations with friends and family, minimizing the need for active and continuous news engagement. But in my experience, few things are important. Typically, most news content has limited practical impact or relevance for my immediate responsibilities. (Someone told me the pope died… and shortly after we got to discussing important matters regarding the next fishing trip. Not intending to be disrespectful, but that’s just to highlight how little difference it makes to my life that a mundane fishing trip has more practical ramifications). Thus, my stance is intentionally one of minimal direct involvement.
While I acknowledge concerns related to emotional health and the stewardship of attention, my primary reason for limited news engagement remains practical but also theological (sorta). My conviction is that consistent engagement with Scripture and its application will inherently involve cultural engagement (simply through lived experience—you cannot avoid it). By prioritizing personal relationships and direct biblical application at a private or local church community level, we will naturally and effectively engage with the culture in meaningful ways, making extensive news consumption largely unnecessary.
Maybe ill change my mind again later. But for now. I’m back where I started.
Bigvai and Shiphrah 