[pixelsoldier]

Does anyone else share my feeling that lately the news contains almost exclusively horrible, tragic, and depressing stories?

I dunno; I'm just getting this feeling of prolonged, self-induced Armageddon.

I live in Ontario, and near Toronto where I live the murders are increasing at a scary rate, and everywhere I turn there is more bad news staring me in the face. I just hear that at 2pm today they found the body of little Alexis Currie, a little girl that was abducted by her father about a week ago and was hoped to still be alive. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. I almost cried when I watched the flippin' news tonight. Every day, more and more negativity.

My wife and I are about to have our first child in a few months, and the mere notion of anything even slightly negative happening to him (a boy, yay!) is enough to make my stomach turn inside out. I'm going to have to build my baby a suit of armor to protect him from the nasty world. For his first birthday I'm going to get him a phazer gun.

Ugh. Sorry for rambling, I just think it sucks.

[balistic]

Its the news thats more prevalent, not the evil. School violence is statistically down since the 70s, but the media has latched onto it and made it seem like everything's going to hell . . . remember how before terrorism everybody was all freaked out about shark attacks? 2001 ended up having fewer total shark attacks than most years on record. I try to distance myself from the news once in a while . . . is it really worth hearing about EVERYTHING?

I'm not advocating ignorance, just moderation.

[ March 14, 2002: Message edited by: balistic ]

[James Bradford]

The news is always dealing with something negative. I'm sure those news anchors have to take a shot of prozac everyweek just to keep doing. Not to mention a nice paycheck. I mean do I really have to know about every little bad incident that happens in my town? Sheesh. Maybe it's just me.

[Rat]

The news just wants you to think that crime has gone up. I can't think of one good thing that's been reported for a while (but then again, I don't really pay much attention to the news).

My teacher made us do an essay on the truth/rhetoric in the news. I found a lot more rhetoric than truth.

[edraket]

It's weird though. I didn't even realise it, but the news is always mainly negative. Positive things are not worth anything it seems.
Why would that be? Why don't people want to listen to happy news?
Maybe we just need something to worry about because otherwise are lives would seem to easy.

[-HoodZ-]

ive stopped watching the news...even reading about it sux...i just wait for the sports and weather and turn off the tube...if its the paper its the comics and yup you guessed it, the sports section

[pixelsoldier]

When you live in Toronto the sports section is just as depressing.

Have you seen a Raptors game lately?

[-HoodZ-]

hehe the Knicks arent doing very well either...but on the up side the Nets are on top of the east....the only time the sports section affects me is when they trade away or cut your favorite player....

[jome]

True, doom and gloom sells. Why is everyone in Europe voting for the extremist right wing parties? I think because of the media putting their focus on murders, on North-Africans committing crimes, on child-abuse...

[manta2saint]

You are right; we should focus on the blessings of our life.

The truth is, the more you understand the darkness, the better you can see the light.

It has always been that way. People ask why God gave us hardship and loss because they do not try to understand it. They only see it as the bad, but it is so much more. Even the downfalls God deals us are blessings. For without knowing the loss you have, how can you see how much you have actually been given? Life is both all about loss and gain. Yet, if you understand the reason behind it all, you can see that it is only all a blessing, a blessing none of us deserve.

So, when you see those stories of children being shot in school, is not your first thought of your child? Understanding that evil is what directs you to what really matters. As a soon to be father, you surely can see that. You are faced with problems of finance and safety, and you think of your loved one's best interest when you deal with those problems. Love takes away from you, so that you can see it. All things that don't actually matter, all things that do not deal with your love, only serve to cover you with layers of dark cloth, skewing your view of that love. So, in your problems, your fears, those barriers are torn down so that you can clearly see what matters... your son... your family... the love itself.

So, I watch and read the news a lot. It reminds me of the little child in my household and my love for him. Death and sadness and evil is around all that I care about, I love, but I do not fear them. For I understand why they exist. They are not here to tear us down; they are only here as blessings to us all. The downfalls are just as much a reminder of what I love as the gifts I receive, if not more. Both lead to love, and that is all that essentially matters in life.

-Michael

[travis travis]

there's not too much bad news here. looks like you've just hit a patch. I know other people who were having kids felt the same way on 9/11 though, disturbed about bringing kids into this world. it's scary, but you've got to a chance to bring someone into this world and show them the good side of things instead of the bad, so it's worthwhile.

[Awetopsy]

watching the news is like going to the trash can to get your dinner, eat it enough times and you'll make yourself sick.

seriously.. take some time and focus on the good things in life...

1) Man, you have a baby on the way!!! (congrats) and a wife that loves you!
2) you have a roof over your head and food to eat
3) you have clean clothes.
4) you live in one of the most priviledged nations in the world.
5) You have a certain freedom of rights. You are allowed to think and choose on your own.

the list could go on and on. sometimes I think people seriously lose site of the good things.

[ March 15, 2002: Message edited by: Awetopsy ]

[jr]

i don't let real life depress me too much. i mean, i'm still relitively young and all this will pass, so i want to enjoy it while i can.