zlacker

>>notion+(OP)
In 2019 my New Years Resolution was to avoid all news and social media. The reason I started the ban was because I found my mind unsettled after reading the news and I had trouble coming back to a tranquil headspace.

The inspiration is this simple quote: "The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control." (Epictetus)

I held this resolution for about 5 months and it was profoundly glorious. It's not hard. Treat current events like Game of Thrones spoilers. Focus on what you have control over. Be frank with others that you are taking a break from the news cycle. If your results are anything like mine you will find yourself calmer and able to concentrate on what matters. Your mind wont wander to externalities you don't have control over.

At the end of it, you can go read Wikipedia for 30 minutes and be just as caught up as anyone else because you know the end result of the news cycle instead of suffering through it as it happened.

>>stevec+Jb
I started this concept ten years ago. Dropped Facebook, no more economist subscription, no papers, never had TV. That doesn't mean holding a hard line and hiding your head in a pillow. There is enough overflow from HN, the radio, friends, occasional newspapers. It seems I have a much healthier laid back attitude to work, friends, family. I see them all uptight about some event. Following news story breathlessly, fuming or arguing. Meanwhile, I'm trying to calm every one down, don't worry about it, it doesn't matter. Political parties change, administration doesn't. Think about long term goals, and affects you can have on that. Skip the day to day arguments. There is so, much valuable news and information on HN, and so much valuable discussion, often from experts in their field. (More rare lately?) You can gather your data, and solve most of your issues, from links provided in HN. So many interesting intellectual topics to pursue. For example: Need covid numbers? Look at worldometers.com Keep it up Dang.

>>pomian+gj
Lucky for you that politics doesn’t have any direct influence on your life, but in the US having a semi-functional government during the Covid pandemic would have led to a lot fewer deaths and a lot less economic damage.