NEWS: North East West South

Everytime I turn on the television to watch the news, or open the internet news pages, or even tune into the radio, its bad news coming in from all directions. Open the newspaper or any of the Newsweek or Time magazines, its bad news. Murder, destruction, death, poverty, failure, natural disasters, doom and gloom of economies and markets are the cover stories. Is this what the world is saturated with or is this just the minority of news out there? It is always known that the sensational news stories such as divorces or the problems of  troubled celebrities like drug, alcohol addictions or DMV violations and arrests, grab the attention of the tabloids, including the trivial matters of which celebrity has gained weight or become anorexic. But are these stories news worthy or are they only printed or reported on because we indulge ourselves into the misery of others.Why are we so concerned about the lives of others yet if the same issues befall us, we wallow in the woes that we are in, but do not bat an eye lid if it happens to someone else. Another example is that is if a friend loses their expensive watch we do not feel compassion, yet if it happens to us, we are quite preturbed.

The news media in all its forms- TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, internet, or digital news on mobile devices, is capitalizing on the misfortune of others, and so perpetuating the negative energies, since we will also keep thinking and talking about these same news stories. But to what end I ask? I wonder if good news stories were the normal state of reporting will we help perpetuate more good news in the world by spreading good higher frequency vibrations through our thoughts, words and deeds. Perhaps there is more good news out there than we are being led to believe, and the world is not such a bad place as we may perceive it to be. If we are not inundated with bad news, we can open our eyes to better choices, options and hope, and not that the choices are out of our hands and that there are no options and in turn no hope, as the news machine enjoys to churn out.

I throw this out there. Would you be happier reading actual real stories of hungry children that are getting food for a whole year from selfless acts of kindness, people helping the poverty stricken who are in need, more shelters that are being created, schools that are gunfree and safe, communities opening their doors to people of all race, creed and religion? or would you rather read stories of increasing crime, government spending cuts, increasing national debt, corruption by CEOs and celebrities who have lost their fortunes and arrested for drunk beahaviors?  Which will bring us more joy and peace and encouragement? Unfortunately if it is the misery stories then perhaps you need to relook at your own lives and values and see what is missing to the point that misery makes us happy or is it that we are content that someone else who was once fortunate is now in “our” state and can feel our pain? Are you feeling less fortunate for some rason?

We put celebrities ( actors, sports players, singers, polititians, entertainers etc) up on pedestals and adore them, only to be overjoyed that life can throw them off. I am sure this was the case even in antiquity in the most ancient of civilizations, and perhaps their news stories were similar albeit in cuneiform or hieroglyphics and on stone tablets! I can see it now “Glorious kings and gladiators all brought done to their knees, off with their heads ha ha what fun ! bad news indeed, read all about it reported only on the tablets of the Acropolis Special !!”

I would like to try an experiment if I may. I would ask that all the readers each spend at least 10 minutes a day looking for good news. Once found, monitor how you feel about it, and spread that piece of good news to 5 friends or family members. Each day spend an additional 2 minutes to this exercise. At the end of the month see how much time you are actually spending looking for good news, and how much less time you are spending reading or listening to bad news through media  ( social or otherwise) or idol gossip. Then also note how you are feeling at the end of this month. Do thoughts and words of happiness, joy, encouragement and good will towards others flow through you freely?  Kindly do not tell me you have NO time for this exercise, since if you monitor your thoughts and choices from moment to moment you will find that you will gain the time from less  indulgment of bad news effortlessly.

I can see and hear the paper boy running down the street waving newspapers in his hands shouting”  Newspaper, Newspaper, Good times and news coming your way, read all about it !”