Friday, April 16, 2010

About attention

Here's another mnml post. Read it.
Consider what you give your attention to each day. It’s a precious resource, & determines the shape of your life.

I also like this, from the same article:
Give up on news. It’s a never-ending cycle. And if you’ve paid attention to the news as long as I have (I’m a former journalist), you know it’s all the same, year after year. Unless your job depends on it, the news is usually a waste of your attention.

I have pretty much stayed away from the news for decades. One of the reasons was I found it depressing. Well, I've become stronger and sounder mentally, so I gave it a new chance recently. And what did I find? I don't get depressed by it these days... but it's simply not interesting! Like the guy said, it's the same ole same ole same ole.

It seem like if you're looking for a new inspiration or guru, Leo Babauta may not be the worst choice. Buy his book.
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Sukiho and myself just coined:
"News is just gossip made respectable."

8 comments:

H. de Long Rush said...

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-081.html

"The more you have, the more attention they require."

50 million a day, and growing. Perhaps I will give the archive a miss.

Tommy said...

EO, do I see a model for Domai in that article??

Sukiho said...

news is just an elitist term for gossip

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

That's an interesting way of looking at it. Really no difference, is there, except the number of people and the money involved. And the respectability because of those two.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

"... gossip made respectable."

dave nielsen said...

Really no difference, is there, except the number of people and the money involved

They aren't at all similar.

Ganesha Games said...

A minimal keeping up to date is needed for practical purposes. Knowing that flights are cancelled or buses are on strike when you travel. Tech news.

But I indeed have been switching off the TV whenever our prime minister appears on screen, and I stay away from all gossip, life of celebrities, or crime news (unless I'm fishing for ideas for a game or story).

Marcelo Metayer said...

I am a journalist, and I absolutely AGREE with you.

News come and go in cycles. And what the politics of today do, whatever they do, nobody will remember tomorrow.