Fears Medium

anataman

What is it about fear that stimulates us to do things in the way it does?

In my mundane life, where I have learned that I have become no one in particular, I listen a lot to the radio, and in fact BBC radio 4 is my desired radio channel - but it doesn't always press the right button IYKWIM, and am constantly being reminded of up-to-date (usually negative) news of the events that constitute what may be regarded as the negativity of the world.

Now I am not the most positive person in the world, but it seems to me that to counteract these negative reports in the media, I should become much more positive - however, in my view this is really the wrong attitude.

I need to address the fact that the media into which I am atuned does not really care about what the listeners really want to listen to.

Of course we have news channels dedicated to propaganda, but let those who choose not to regard good and bad moralistic views to offend or envelop them, choose their own way.

federica

Many years ago, I used to believe myself erudite, well-informed and educated, because when I retired for the night, I would use my headphones to listen to Radio 4... very often, I would fall asleep listening to the radio.... which at midnight, turned into the World Service.

But the following morning, I used to wake up grumpy, morose, depressed, despondent, out-of-sorts, and never understood why.

Until one night, I was still awake when the WS came on, just after the Shipping Forecast (after 'Sailing By'.. the tune which heralded the transfer from R4 to the WS... sweet tune....) and I began to actually, consciously listen to the World Service.

And then I knew why I unfailingly woke up, feeling grumpy, morose, depressed, despondent and out-of-sorts.

Because every single item I listened to, was depressing, negative, sombre and simply the worst news you might never wish to listen to.
It was awful, simply dreadful.
I was staggered, I couldn't believe it.

It all fell into place.
I immediately stopped listening to R4 when I retired, and listened to quite different music instead. And the bad feelings in the morning, disappeared.

anataman

YES my suspicions have been aroused about the negativity of R4 - perhaps it is another attempt at controlling my positivity...

What radio channel do you listen to now then @federica let me guess just for a laugh (Heart FM - no! Melody FM - maybe, Jazz FM - definitely no; Capital FM - definitely a no no; Kiss FM - erm - no again; I guess you are not R3 R2 or R1, - smooth classics: yes

Bunks

I consciously stopped watching the evening news several years ago as I got sick of my head being filled up with that negative rubbish!

I also only garner my news from the ABC website here in Australia (government owned like the BBC) because they run news stories. No speculation or opinion pieces which seem to be about all you get on the commercial news websites!

silver

For years, I would listen to night time radio show - George Noory's Coast to Coast - usually falling asleep sooner rather than later, but from time to time, forcing myself to listen to it because of the mysterious kinds of stories about aliens and ghosts and all that, but I had to narrow it down to only stuff I was really interested in. I don't own a tv and only watch on my desktop free Hulu and not much, tbh.

how

One can listen to the radio to stay informed or listen to the radio to avoid an unsettling silence. Knowing which is which is tricky sometimes.

lobster

@how said:
One can listen to the radio to stay informed or listen to the radio to avoid an unsettling silence. Knowing which is which is tricky sometimes.

Radios come with silence/off buttons (OK not exactly in the cyber age but the principle is right). If you need emotional change. Music.

Informed or deformed? Whose mind is it anyway . . .

robot

We had some good news in Canada today.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-says-yes-to-doctor-assisted-suicide-in-specific-cases-1.2947487

how

@robot
like so many other issues that you'd think would be a no-brainer..it was so long overdue!

My father spent his last few year at home in a very painful freefall with ALS, often howling through the morphine..I so often wonder where the opponents of "the right to die" issue have managed to live, so isolated from the unadulterated suffering that they have been supporting.

Buddhadragon

We watch the news to be informed of what happens in the world.
Whether we like them or not, ugly things do happen and I prefer to know.

But then we compensate by watching some funny show like "You've been framed" or "Rabbids."

lobster

@anataman said:
Now I am not the most positive person in the world, but it seems to me that to counteract these negative reports in the media, I should become much more positive - however, in my view this is really the wrong attitude.

I will say this occasionally on the off chance it might eventually connect. Having incessant views is not a substitute for knowing.

'Should become', 'in my view', 'what I need' etc

Radio still on. Radio @anataman

Buddhadragon

@how said:
My father spent his last few year at home in a very painful freefall with ALS, often howling through the morphine..I so often wonder where the opponents of "the right to die" issue have managed to live, so isolated from the unadulterated suffering that they have been supporting.

Euthanasia in Switzerland is legal.

Some time ago, one of the members held it up against me, because apparently she did not agree with someone's right to choose their peremption date.

I said to her that I hoped she would never find herself in a position to learn firsthand what it feels like to be in pain and know there's probably no solution to your illness.
I have seen people's lives in care homes being prolonged, but not the quality of their lives.
Being a vegetable plugged to a machine for years is not living.