I’m Tired of Being Gaslit by the News
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. Started as a cub reporter in some godforsaken town in Nebraska. Remember the time my editor, let’s call him Marcus, made me cover the annual chili cook-off? Said it was ‘important local color.’
But this isn’t about me. It’s about the sheer nonsense of how we consume news today. And honestly, it’s getting worse.
Last Tuesday, I was at the office—over coffee at the place on 5th—and a colleague named Dave told me he got his news from TikTok. TikTok! I mean, come on. You’re telling me that’s how we’ve sunk? Dance moves and 15-second soundbites?
Which brings me to my point. Or one of them. I’ve got alot of points today. Bear with me.
We’re All Just Reacting Now
Back in my day, we had to wait for the evening news. Or, god forbid, the morning paper. You planned your day around it. Now? It’s a 24/7 firehose of nonsense. And we’re all just reacting. To tweets. To posts. To some influencer’s hot take.
I get it. It’s excitin’. It’s immediacy. But it’s also completley ruined our ability to think. To process. To, you know, be human.
And don’t even get me started on the algorithms. They’re feeding us what we want, not what we need. It’s like a never-ending buffet of confirmation bias. Yum, more of that stuff I already agree with!
I asked a friend, let’s call her Lisa, about this. She said, ‘But I like being told what I want to hear.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough. But is that journalism? Or is that just entertainment?
A Quick Detour: Education News Policy Changes
Speaking of nonsense, have you seen the latest education news policy changes? It’s a mess. A complete aquisition of common sense. But that’s a story for another day.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the death of thoughtful discourse.
The Echo Chamber is Deafening
Remember when we used to have debates? Like, actual conversations where people disagreed but still respected each other? Yeah, me neither. It’s all just noise now. And the worst part? We’re all complicit.
I was at a conference in Austin—about three months ago—where a panelist said, ‘The news is just a reflection of society.’ And I wanted to scream. No! The news is supposed to challenge society. To hold a mirror up and say, ‘Look at this mess. Now let’s fix it.’
But now? It’s just a big, circular echo chamber. And we’re all just shouting into the void, hoping someone hears us.
I mean, I get it. It’s hard. It’s exhausting. But we can’t just give up. We can’t let the noise win.
So, what’s the answer? I’m not sure. But I know it starts with us. With me. With you. We have to demand better. We have to push back against the noise. Against the algorithms. Against the sheer nonsense of it all.
It’s gonna be hard. It’s gonna take committment. But it’s worth it. Because the alternative? That’s just too depressing to think about.
Anyway, I’m rambling. I do that. Ask anyone who knows me. But I think you get the point. The news is a mess. And it’s up to us to clean it up.
Or at least try.
About the Author: Jane Doe has been a senior editor for over two decades, working with major publications across the UK. She currently resides in Sheffield, where she enjoys arguing with people about the news and drinking too much coffee.
