The Combination Effect

[HuntHarder]

The situations are one thing but what worries me most is societal trends. I quit TV in 2007 so I do not watch any news shows.....no social media but I try and stay aware of what is actually happening.

If you do not watch the news or have any social media, where do you get your news from to stay aware?

 

[bozeman]

No, God is in control.....I can rest in that each night. Pray we all make peace with God via his son Jesus Christ and submit our life to him......His Will, His Purpose, His Peace. AMEN!

 

[william schmaltz]

If you do not watch the news or have any social media, where do you get your news from to stay aware?

This is probably the most important question. If you're only getting your news from sources that lean one way politically, I would be depressed too. Both CNN and Fox New are convinced the world is ending for their own reasons. It's all the same garbage. My homepage on my work computer is MSN and there's no way for me to change it. About two weeks before the election I stopped scrolling through each time I opened a new web page. Best thing I ever did.

I fell into the thought that the world would end when Obama was elected. I was sick to my stomach. Same way people acted when Trump was elected and the same way the Trump crowd thinks the world is ending now. It was a waste of my time. Checks and balances are in place. Carry your cross to river, use the wood to build a bridge, and get over it. I know it's easy for me to say, but it's the only option.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

I sometimes have days that I am really affected. I have moments of walking through a store or down the street and everyone is wearing masks, and I don't recognize our country any more. We don't smile at one another any more and if we do, it is hidden by a mask.

Most of the time when I felt down, I would just go to the range, or tinker with a different gun. The past year has seen my local range shut down for several months, and ammo and components have been nearly impossible to find.

Exercise helps, but even that is weird now. I think that we are on the verge of the beginning of a severe mental health crisis in our nation.

It is definately strange out there. I do a ton of hiking all around my home. I put my 7 month old daughter in a backpack and we normally cover 3 to 5 miles each hike. About 3 months ago I noticed everyone started to even wears masks outside on the trails, walking down the sidewalk, jogging, doing yard work alone at their own house, or even driving alone in the car all times. Now its like if your not inside your own home the virus will attack you as soon as you open the front door. Most are scared to even make eye contact. They have literally forgotten how to interact with other humans, and you can tell they are confused how to act outdoors around others.

I try to make a point to say hello or hows it going to people when walking by them. Often it takes them a second to respond, they are caught off guard. Then they normally respond and I can see a smile on their face. It's like they are happy it was ok to say hello to someone! Quite often they then strike up a quick conversation with me.

I think that is a good sign that people can get back to "normal" again.

 

[manitou1]

Not gonna lie, I walk around with a pit in my stomach 24-7... but we keep living life as best we can. Again, not much has changed except perceptions to this point. We will see.

 

[*zap*]

If you do not watch the news or have any social media, where do you get your news from to stay aware?

The most legitimate web sites I can find, which is hard to find

 

[MattB]

Yeah, this situation is a bit dehumanizing. I find I am calling friends a little less often to check in. Shelling up a bit.

Funny story about the political manipulation that is so rampant these days. My Yahoo email has a paid add at the top of it each time I log in. 2 days ago it was "help destroy the republican party". I swiped left and when asked I responded it was offensive. The next am there was a paid add asking me to help destroy the democratic party. Same response.

There are lots of nut sacks in the world trying to seed division within our country. Don't buy into it.

 

[ODB]

You just described many jobs

I know I did - mine included. It’s just a shame that kids will literally spend their whole lives from damn near birth staring at a screen.

it’s Wall-E world made real...

 

[jmez]

It hasn't really affected me much. Nothing shut down here, schools for 2.5 months last spring. Other than that life has been pretty well normal. Schools and sports have been a full go here all since August. My life and routine hasn't changed in a material manner.

 

[5MilesBack]

The sum of all that has been going on the last 12 months is taking a toll on me. Anyone else experiencing this?

No Politics, please.

You start a thread about "the sum of all that has been going on the last 12 months" and then say no politics? Politics is ALL that's been going on for the past 12 months in this nation.

And unfortunately it's taking a serious toll on the entire nation, but personally.......it doesn't affect me too much on a day to day level.

 

[kda082]

I stick to local news. No time for opinion pieces, just cover the headlines, move on to sports and weather. If it’s that important they’ll cover it mostly minus the drama.

 

[TravisIN]

Yes it’s made me realize how screwed up humans are


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gabenzeke]

I don't get it... really. It has not changed our lives much at all. We are outdoors enthusiasts and still do all we want outdoors. We still go shopping, still get groceries, and still get together with family.
We don't frequent bars, so no effect there.
I suppose if somebody lived in a city with severely restrictive ordinances it may be different. Not much has changed for us. I think a lot of this is in people's heads.
I don't watch mainstream news either... or use facebook, twitter, etc. whatever they are.
Perception is 90% of attitude.

It's different with kids

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[HuntHarder]

This is probably the most important question. If you're only getting your news from sources that lean one way politically, I would be depressed too. Both CNN and Fox New are convinced the world is ending for their own reasons. It's all the same garbage. My homepage on my work computer is MSN and there's no way for me to change it. About two weeks before the election I stopped scrolling through each time I opened a new web page. Best thing I ever did.

I fell into the thought that the world would end when Obama was elected. I was sick to my stomach. Same way people acted when Trump was elected and the same way the Trump crowd thinks the world is ending now. It was a waste of my time. Checks and balances are in place. Carry your cross to river, use the wood to build a bridge, and get over it. I know it's easy for me to say, but it's the only option.

I like to search MSN, CNN and FOX. You take all 3 versions of the same story, and the truth lies somewhere between. It is really sad when a guy can get his interests so narrow that he only listens to NPR, CNN or FOX, They all tell their narrative with a slant in the direction they want to convey. The biggest threat to our future are the sheeple that do and think like one political group. Voting party lines is also a huge problem and further shows that agendas exists with prejudice.

Imagine if EVERYONE was free thinking and formed their own opinions without political influence.

 

[307]

There are many who are pretty convinced that this is a horrible time and that everybody's trying to "get" them and that the end is near...

Drama Queens.

Believing every conspiracy and every news story, regardless of the particular spin, will make you fearful and full of angst.

"We suffer more in imagination than in reality"
Seneca

 

[CorbLand]

I like to search MSN, CNN and FOX. You take all 3 versions of the same story, and the truth lies somewhere between. It is really sad when a guy can get his interests so narrow that he only listens to NPR, CNN or FOX, They all tell their narrative with a slant in the direction they want to convey. The biggest threat to our future are the sheeple that do and think like one political group. Voting party lines is also a huge problem and further shows that agendas exists with prejudice.

Imagine if EVERYONE was free thinking and formed their own opinions without political influence.

I had a conversation with my brother the other day about this. I have never understood how people seem to want the opposite party to put up the worst candidate they can so the party they support has an easy win. I would rather take the best of the two parties and put them against each other. One of them is going to win and will run this country. Everyone acts as if a landslide win is a good thing when in reality, elections should be close.

 

[fwafwow]

I sometimes have days that I am really affected. I have moments of walking through a store or down the street and everyone is wearing masks, and I don't recognize our country any more. We don't smile at one another any more and if we do, it is hidden by a mask.

@*zap* - it catches me too sometimes, and especially when I see everyone (almost) always wearing masks. But then I just try to count my blessings (and for most of us, there are still plenty). Luckily I'm in Georgia and we were never shut down as much as other spots. I've also been on some work video calls recently when I realized how lucky I've had it, as some from the NE are still almost like shut-ins (but they aren't outdoors folks to begin with) and complaining about getting their spouse to cut their hair.

Like many others have said, I've cut back dramatically on my social media and news content. I do still look at the Fox News website (I can't watch Fox News TV anymore), but I rarely read the articles, and when I do, I take them with more grains of salt than I used to. FWIW I personally find the Wall Street Journal as usually pretty dispassionate - at least relatively speaking.

 

[full choke]

I had a conversation with my brother the other day about this. I have never understood how people seem to want the opposite party to put up the worst candidate they can so the party they support has an easy win. I would rather take the best of the two parties and put them against each other. One of them is going to win and will run this country. Everyone acts as if a landslide win is a good thing when in reality, elections should be close.

The bigger issue is we have two parties to choose from.
One or the other.
Not much of a choice.
Most people, I believe, reside in the middle.

I am also mostly anti-government. Well, at least, the government we have made for ourselves. Why does government need to be so big? The answer is because that is what serves them so well.
Government, and the media survive on division.
And for what it is worth- I too have been feeling worn out as of late. I am usually a very optimistic person- but seems every time I turn around there is some new obstacle thrown out there. I worry about the kids a lot.
I live in the Seattle area- our governor is a complete tool. He really is stupid. And ineffective. He has never had a plan to deal with covid- he just reacts to what other dumbass west coast governors do. And then he tries to one up them.

I watched my thirteen year old daughter play soccer this weekend wearing a mask. It is mandatory. No mask- no sports. King Jay's orders. Quite possibly the single healthiest persons in our country are athletic teenagers. And we have them running around outdoors wearing masks. It is insane. We should be ashamed. It is depressing.

 

[AKBC]

If you do not watch the news or have any social media, where do you get your news from to stay aware?

I have begun to question the need to "stay aware" on a national level. We have virtually no control except to vote every other year. I certainly don't need to watch the news or get on FaceBook five times per day to know how to vote for my congressman, senators, or president. I have done much better the last couple of months staying off that junk and it has benefited my sanity. Meanwhile, the elites keep chugging along somehow without me.

 

[Beendare]

Two words Zap: Naked Yoga


Just a thought of doing that should snap you out of it-grin

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