I Can’t Look Away

Confessions of a News Junkie

I think that my news addiction started when I was in my teens. I used to read National Geographic every month, entranced by the pictures and curious about the world that they showed me. My parents were very well informed about the world and watched network news every evening. We read the Boston Globe every day and often talked about politics.

When I lived in Tunisia as a teen, my eyes were opened to the subtleties of international relations and the fragility of the US perspective on everything. I learned quite a bit about ethnocentricity that summer.

I have kept up with my media consumption as I have grown. I now read three papers every day, get updates daily from Reuters, the AP, 1440, Tangle and BBC. I listen to NPR, watch both cable and Network News, and find information on the web.

The funny part is, I know that all of this isn’t good for me. I know that. This is, of course, particularly true in weeks like this one, when the human race terrifies and disgusts us.

Yet I cannot look away.

As I have wondered why this is true, I think I have come up with two explanations. The first reason is what the kids now call “FOMO” (I think?) Of course, it’s not that I fear missing out on something fun. It’s that I am afraid something dangerous will…