I’m Tired of Being Misled
Look, I’ve been in this game for over two decades. I’ve seen the news industry evolve from print to digital, and honestly? It’s a completley mess. I’m not just talking about the obvious stuff—fake news, clickbait, all that. I’m talking about how we, as consumers, are complicit in this chaos.
It started for me about three months ago. I was at a conference in Austin, Texas, and I overheard two young journalists talking about how they had to world news highlights today to stay relevant. That’s when it hit me. We’re all just chasing clicks now, aren’t we?
My Friend Marcus and the Algorithm
Let’s call him Marcus. He’s a friend of mine, a former colleague who now works for a major news outlet. We were grabbing coffee at the place on 5th, and he told me something that stuck with me. “You know, Sarah,” he said, “the algorithm is king now. It determines what we cover, how we cover it, even the words we use.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But here’s the thing—we let it. We let the algorithm dictate our news intake. We let it decide what’s important and what’s not. And that’s a problem.
The Illusion of Choice
I mean, think about it. You open your phone, you scroll through your feed, and suddenly you’re reading about a celebrity’s divorce or a political scandal. It’s not because you chose to read it. It’s because the algorithm chose it for you. And we just kinda… accept it.
I remember last Tuesday, I was talking to a colleague named Dave. He was complaining about how his mom only reads news from her Facebook feed. “She thinks she’s informed,” he said, “but she’s just reading what the algorithm wants her to read.” And that’s the illusion of choice, folks. We think we’re making informed decisions, but we’re not. We’re just passive consumers.
The Physicaly and Mental Toll
And let’s not forget the toll this takes on us. The constant stream of news, the never-ending cycle of updates, it’s exhausting. It’s physically and mentally draining. I’ve seen it happen to friends, to colleagues, even to myself. We’re always on, always connected, always consuming. And it’s taking a toll.
I remember about a year ago, I was at a conference in London. A speaker there talked about how the constant news cycle is contributing to a rise in anxiety and depression. And I thought, “Yeah, that makes sense.” I mean, how can it not? We’re bombarded with information, much of it negative, and we’re expected to just… handle it.
The Role of Journalists
But here’s the thing—journalists have a responsibility too. We can’t just blame the algorithm or the consumers. We have to take a long, hard look at ourselves and ask, “Are we part of the problem?”
I’ve been guilty of it myself. There have been times when I’ve prioritized clicks over quality, when I’ve chased trends instead of substance. And I’m not proud of it. But I’m trying to change. I’m trying to be better.
A Tangent: The Weather and My Dog
Speaking of change, you know what else is changing? The weather. I was out walking my dog, Max, the other day, and it was unseasonably warm. I mean, it was January in Scotland, and I was in a t-shirt. What is happening?
But I digress. The point is, change is happening all around us. And we have to adapt. We have to be better consumers, better journalists, better humans.
The Path Forward
So, what do we do? How do we fix this mess? I don’t have all the answers, but I have a few ideas.
First, we need to be more critical consumers. We need to question what we’re reading, to seek out diverse perspectives, to not just accept what the algorithm feeds us.
Second, we need to support quality journalism. We need to pay for news, to subscribe to outlets we trust, to value the work of journalists.
And third, we need to take a break. Seriously. Put down your phone, go for a walk, read a book. Your mental health will thank you.
But look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. It’s not. It’s gonna take commitment, effort, and a willingness to change. But it’s necessary. Because the alternative? That’s a world I don’t wanna live in.
About the Author
Sarah Thompson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s worked for major publications, covered countless stories, and has a few regrets (but who doesn’t?). When she’s not editing, she’s walking her dog, Max, or complaining about the weather. She lives in Scotland and is always up for a good debate.
