We’re All Addicted, Admit It
Look, I’m gonna be honest here. I’m a news junkie. Always have been. My name’s Linda, by the way. Been editing for major publications since the Clinton administration. (Yeah, I’m that old.)
I remember the days when news was, well, news. Now? It’s a never-ending stream of hot takes, clickbait, and outright nonsense. And honestly? I’m part of the problem.
Last Tuesday, I caught myself refreshing my feed at 11:30pm. Again. My friend Marcus—let’s call him that, his real name’s boring—texted me, “You’re gonna burn out, Linda.” And he’s probably right. But it’s like a car crash, you know? Can’t look away.
But Here’s the Thing…
We’re all complicit. Every time we click, we’re telling algorithms what we want more of. And what do we get? More of the same. More outrage, more sensationalism, less substance.
I was at a conference in Austin about three months ago. A colleague named Dave—real name Dave, no creativity there—said, “Journalism’s not dead, it’s just… yeah. It’s mutating.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are still gems out there. You just gotta dig for them. And no, I’m not talking about that yoga benefits beginners guide nonsense. I mean real, hard-hitting journalism.
The Physicaly Impossible Task of Staying Informed
Here’s the kicker: it’s completley impossible to stay informed these days. I mean, look at the sheer volume of information. It’s overwhelming. And the quality? It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack the size of Texas.
Take my committment to keep up with current events. I try. I really do. But between fake news, biased reporting, and outright propaganda, it’s exhausting. And don’t even get me started on the comments section. Ugh.
I was talking to a source last week—let’s call him Greg, because that’s what his mom named him—I asked him about the state of journalism. He said, “It’s a circus. And we’re all clowns.” Harsh, but probably accurate.
A Tangent: My Brief Stint as a Fitness Enthusiast
Okay, this is kinda off topic, but hear me out. About a year ago, I tried to get into fitness. You know, yoga, running, the whole nine yards. I even looked into that yoga benefits beginners guide thing. Turns out, I’m not very good at it. But the point is, even in fitness, there’s a lot of noise. A lot of “experts” telling you what to do. It’s the same in news. Everyone’s got an opinion, and they’re all gonna tell you it’s fact.
Anyway, back to the point. Or whatever passes for a point these days.
The Determing Factor: Critical Thinking
So how do we cut through the noise? Critical thinking. It’s not sexy, it’s not flashy, but it’s necessary. You gotta question everything. Be skeptical. And for the love of god, don’t just read the headline.
I’m not sure but maybe we should all take a step back. Breathe. And think. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about being informed. And that starts with us. The consumers. The ones refreshing their feeds at 11:30pm.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s a mess. But it’s our mess. And we gotta clean it up. Or at least try to.
Author Bio: Linda Chen has been a senior editor for over 20 years, working with major publications. She’s seen the evolution of journalism firsthand and isn’t afraid to call out the industry’s flaws. When she’s not editing, she’s probably refreshing her news feed. You can find her on Twitter @LindaEdits, ranting about the state of the media.
