I'm so glad to see many of my favorite publications in the upper part of the curve. Trying to decide which ones and how many is the challenge for a news junky like me, but as you note Lou, it's critical to our health and well-being.
“There is no more stupefying thing than anger, nothing more bent on its own strength. If successful, none more arrogant, if foiled, none more insane—since it's not driven back by weariness even in defeat, when fortune removes its adversary it turns its teeth on itself.” — Seneca, c. 45
Good advice for maintaining one's sanity, but here is my concern: How can we fight against MAGA extremists if we don't learn what they are saying?
Trump won in 2024 due to pervasive disinformation being spread widely via NON-traditional media/influencers (such as Joe Rogan, Adin Ross, Lex Fridman, etc) to low-info voters who don't consume traditional news. Future candidates who oppose MAGA must have pervasive exposure in these non-traditional sources, which have gigantic views numbers (from many low-info voters) relative to traditional media:
NON-TRADITIONAL
Joe Rogan - 19M subscribers, 5.7B cum views
Adin Ross - 10M followers, 1.4B cum views
Lex Fridman - 4.5M subscribers, 800M cum views
Source: Wikipedia
TRADITIONAL CABLE TV NEWS
Fox News - 1.9M avg viewers per day
MSNBC - 506k avg viewers per day
CNN - 421k avg viewers per day
Source: Fox News, 28 Jan 2025
Future political candidates MUST participate in non-traditional media, not only to aggressively counter pervasive disinformation, but also to communicate the benefits of their own positions. If we and our candidates don't debunk the disinformation in non-traditional media, those lies permeate into traditional media coverage. It is happening now. I can cite numerous examples where false narratives (on the economy, Hunter Biden's laptop, Russian interference, crime by immigrants, etc) have become part of the mainstream. Even Jake Tapper and Dana Bash fail to challenge lies expressed by MAGA politicians on their State of the Union CNN show.
So, my advice is to take temporary breaks from the news that makes us anxious and depressed, but get back into the fight well ahead of future elections. Learn what lies are being spread through all forms of media and support candidates who aggressively debunk the lies in ALL the popular media outlets. We need to stay in the fight.
Love this Lou. I wrote the following a few days ago: “Plan How You Intend to Consume News
Creating structure around media consumption feels like a must right now. I’ve always put a premium on staying informed, but avoiding outrage bait that makes you want to tap out is going to be equally important as well.
I typically read my news via Apple News, digital newspapers (NYT, WaPo), Substack, listening to NPR, watching PBSNewshour, MSNBC and I follow lots of informed people on BlueSky (not to mention the deluge of newsletters including Semafor, Puck News, The Information, BI, etc).
That said, I’m giving myself days off just to protect my sanity, and to be able to see the forest through the trees.”
100% on the news diet -- thanks for sharing
I'm so glad to see many of my favorite publications in the upper part of the curve. Trying to decide which ones and how many is the challenge for a news junky like me, but as you note Lou, it's critical to our health and well-being.
“There is no more stupefying thing than anger, nothing more bent on its own strength. If successful, none more arrogant, if foiled, none more insane—since it's not driven back by weariness even in defeat, when fortune removes its adversary it turns its teeth on itself.” — Seneca, c. 45
Words to live by, from a man who knows.
Good advice for maintaining one's sanity, but here is my concern: How can we fight against MAGA extremists if we don't learn what they are saying?
Trump won in 2024 due to pervasive disinformation being spread widely via NON-traditional media/influencers (such as Joe Rogan, Adin Ross, Lex Fridman, etc) to low-info voters who don't consume traditional news. Future candidates who oppose MAGA must have pervasive exposure in these non-traditional sources, which have gigantic views numbers (from many low-info voters) relative to traditional media:
NON-TRADITIONAL
Joe Rogan - 19M subscribers, 5.7B cum views
Adin Ross - 10M followers, 1.4B cum views
Lex Fridman - 4.5M subscribers, 800M cum views
Source: Wikipedia
TRADITIONAL CABLE TV NEWS
Fox News - 1.9M avg viewers per day
MSNBC - 506k avg viewers per day
CNN - 421k avg viewers per day
Source: Fox News, 28 Jan 2025
Future political candidates MUST participate in non-traditional media, not only to aggressively counter pervasive disinformation, but also to communicate the benefits of their own positions. If we and our candidates don't debunk the disinformation in non-traditional media, those lies permeate into traditional media coverage. It is happening now. I can cite numerous examples where false narratives (on the economy, Hunter Biden's laptop, Russian interference, crime by immigrants, etc) have become part of the mainstream. Even Jake Tapper and Dana Bash fail to challenge lies expressed by MAGA politicians on their State of the Union CNN show.
So, my advice is to take temporary breaks from the news that makes us anxious and depressed, but get back into the fight well ahead of future elections. Learn what lies are being spread through all forms of media and support candidates who aggressively debunk the lies in ALL the popular media outlets. We need to stay in the fight.
Love this Lou. I wrote the following a few days ago: “Plan How You Intend to Consume News
Creating structure around media consumption feels like a must right now. I’ve always put a premium on staying informed, but avoiding outrage bait that makes you want to tap out is going to be equally important as well.
I typically read my news via Apple News, digital newspapers (NYT, WaPo), Substack, listening to NPR, watching PBSNewshour, MSNBC and I follow lots of informed people on BlueSky (not to mention the deluge of newsletters including Semafor, Puck News, The Information, BI, etc).
That said, I’m giving myself days off just to protect my sanity, and to be able to see the forest through the trees.”
Same wavelength…