Do you believe that ignorance is bliss?

Rachel_Scope

Is knowing a lot about what's going on in the world a good thing? Does it cause too much stress? Or do we have a duty to know what is happening?

Admittedly, I don't read the news very often and try to stay out of politics as much as possible but is that a good thing? My 'ignorance' means I may not get as stressed about things but could that end up being my downfall?

This also doesn't need to be focused on politics. It could be evidence of ghosts or aliens for example! Also a gentle reminder to be respectful of other's opinions 😊

I'm very intrigued to hear your thoughts.

Catherine21

I think not knowing is a good thing when i never watched parliment or politics before i had this phone id say i wasnt as anxious now i live in a constant state of terror and as i hyperfix on subjects i go so far down the rabbit hole im finding conversations about the weather and small talk impossible take me back to the 80s i dont like this new world

MissMarple

I've been discussing exactly the same thing with a friend today. Burying my head in the sand is better for my mental health. But I thought of all the people who sleepwalked into fascism in the 1930s, or how we seem to ignore the very real and imminent dangers of AI. We can point at politicians that they should fix things, but where would we be without the ordinary people who fought for the abolition of slavery, the suffragettes etc.? Add my limitations as a disabled person (I have severe energy issues) - what can I do? I have no answers, just all these questions.

Catherine21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1110293#Comment_1110293

I been emailing mps and theres a march on 28th in london with a range of people and unions

Amberpearl

We need to know everything

Bluebell21

I agree @Amberpearl we need to know.

JessieJ

Life can be depressing anyway, so the last few years I have not watched the news & try to avoid it as much as possible. I do hear it on radio stations & I see things on here, plus I know what's going on from people talking about it. Really though, I'd be very happy not to know a thing. Stay level with low blood pressure, oh if only!

Does the news finish with a good news story now? They used to, but when I last saw the news, 5 - 6 years ago it didn't. Sad really!

SheffieldMan1976

I tend to avoid Political stuff, except for some annoying reason, I keep getting pro Nigel Farrightage stuff on my YouTube feed.

To the extent that it's currently doing my 'ead in and I had a rather large meltdown the last time I went back to my Parents', because there was a few other bits bothering me as well at the time.

OverlyAnxious

I believe we just need a bit of balance. I don't think knowing everything with 24/7 'news' nowadays is helpful to anyone. But equally I don't believe being completely ignorant to the world around is helpful either.

Personally I check the news once a day. That's it. I don't keep searching and searching. I don't have news alerts on any device. If I find myself going down a rabbit hole on one news story, I will forcibly stop myself and do something else.

The reality is that I, personally, can't do anything to change 99% of the news, and the vast majority of it won't directly affect me. So no-one gains anything from me constantly reading 'news', it just increases my stress levels, and in turn physcial health issues, for absolutely no gain whatsoever.

It does annoy me that many people in the media are paid to write utter rubbish to post online every day just to clicks. But I also believe we all need to take collective responsibility for it as well…if we all stopped clicking on the rubbish, they wouldn't get enough money and they'd be forced to stop posting it!

MissMarple

It's not just you @SheffieldMan1976 who keeps seeing far right content whether they like it or not. There's serious funding behind them to generate content plus the tweaks of the algorithms. Here's a short clip on a research on the subject https://youtube.com/shorts/rhrrwah3kbk?si=2tSENmvtUM_1bYIr