We’re All Addicted to the Chaos
Look, I’ve been in this game for over 20 years. I’ve seen it all. The rise of the 24-hour news cycle, the aquisition of local papers by big corporations, the determing of what’s ‘news’ by algorithms. And let me tell you, it’s a mess. A completley, unfixable mess.
I remember back in ’98, when I was just starting out at the Austin Chronicle. My editor, let’s call him Marcus, he used to say, ‘News is like a good steak, it needs time to marinate.’ But now? Now it’s all about speed. Who can break it first, who can get the most clicks, who can stir up the most outrage.
And we’re all addicted to it. I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I’m innocent. I check my phone 37 times a day. I scroll, I click, I share. I’m part of the problem.
But Here’s the Thing…
I was having coffee with a friend last Tuesday. Her name’s Linda, she’s a teacher. And she said to me, ‘You know, I used to trust the news. Now I don’t know what to believe.’ And that’s the real issue, isn’t it? The news cycle is so broken, so fast, so full of noise, that we don’t know what’s real anymore.
I mean, just look at the way we cover politics. It’s all about the horse race, the drama, the scandals. We spend more time talking about the latest tweet than we do about policy. And the public eats it up. It’s like we’re all watching a reality show, except the stakes are a little higher than who gets voted off the island.
And don’t even get me started on social media. I had a colleague named Dave, he used to say, ‘Social media is the death of nuance.’ And he was right. It’s all about the hot take, the viral moment, the outrage of the day. There’s no room for complexity, for context, for ‘I’m not sure but maybe…’
But What Can We Do About It?
I don’t have all the answers. Honestly, I’m not even sure I have any. But I think the first step is admitting we have a problem. We’re all complicit in this mess. Journalists, politicians, tech companies, and yes, even us, the consumers.
We need to demand better. We need to slow down. We need to ask more questions, dig deeper, and be more critical of what we’re consuming. And we need to support journalism that does the same.
And look, I get it. It’s not easy. It’s not sexy. It’s not gonna get you alot of clicks. But it’s important. And frankly, it’s the only way we’re gonna fix this mess.
So, what’s the first step? I’m not sure. But maybe it’s as simple as taking a break from your phone. Or reading a long-form article. Or having a conversation with someone who disagrees with you. Or checking out a Thailand events this weekend calendar instead of the latest political drama.
I don’t know. It’s all a bit overwhelming, honestly. But we gotta start somewhere.
Anyway, I’m gonna go take a walk. Maybe I’ll see you out there.
About the Author
Sarah Johnson has been a senior editor at CTENews.com for over 20 years. She’s a recovering news addict, a lover of long-form journalism, and a firm believer in the power of a good steak metaphor.
