Years ago, I realize that the news reporters always gave us bad news, and matter how far a field they had to go find it, and it was always something we could not do anything about. That was back in the days of television, and I formed a habit of turning off the news. The important things always get through to me anyway.
These days, I disengaged my news feed on my phone. Every once in a while, or if something comes up, I will check my news feed. I am much happier, but not entirely isolated. I still wake up at 4 AM sometimes, with a pit of anger and grief in my tummy. At that point all I can do is pray.
Do you remember when news outlets tried to create "good news" publications? I think they died a fairly rapid death because people just didn't engage with them.
Right now, we all seem to be living in a state of hyper-vigilance that's utterly exhausting. I do try to switch off, but I'm fascinated at how often I find myself doom scrolling without even noticing how I got there. But that's what these devices are designed to achieve and humans really are that predictable.
Oh wow, this resonated HARD with me! I'm really struggling with the overwhelming and crippling volumes of deeply harrowing news and footage - I absolutely do not want to switch it off and stick my fingers in my ears and lalala my way through the weeks this continues for, yet I find it completely debilitating. To talk about menial and trivial things in comparison (let alone try and market myself for sales!) feels very uncomfortable even on the rare occasion my energies and flow align. I also particularly struggle with the unpredictable nature of feeds - a "quick scroll" which I've worked really hard on reducing (with mostly significant success, though also of course doing this imperfectly), can take me from ooh beautiful artwork/wares/relatable mum video/music/funny animals to the most heart-shredding grief and horror imaginable. Being blindsided by this footage hits me even harder I think? Sorry, I've rambled... But I really hear you, thank you for writing my own jumbled thoughts and internal struggles so eloquently. Sending love x
I love your ramblings, Cat. And I hear you and am with you in everything you say. I'm not really sure that this post is as coherent as I would have liked. I kind of reached a point with it where I just had to get it out and move on, or delete the whole damn thing.
Re: doom-scrolling. I find myself doing a lot less of this since moving my attention to Substack. Instead, I'm scrolling through well-thought-out articles and generous conversations. That's not to say I've completely kicked my Twitter/FB habits but there are only so many hours in the day.
Look after yourself and your head, Cat. We need beauty and kindness in the world more than ever. You bring both in abundance with your work. Big love to you. ❤️
Well I for one am very glad you shared it, it was good to read, thank you. I am doom scrolling massively less than before and it makes SUCH a difference doesn't it! an app limiter has helped and a general awareness of how I feel after scrolling (i.e like shit) has really helped me manage it. It is hardest in difficult news times and I really struggle to manage it then, so of course now is tricky - especially when I NEED to be online more to try and build for christmas! So finding it a very hard balance to find. If only we could default it to our profile not the feed when we open the app, but then that's how they make their money isn't it (eye-roll). Instagram is the only platform I use really, or on any regular basis certainly. I would like to spend more time on substack but feeling pretty stretched at the moment now we're in the run up to christmas, so trying to juggle and prioritise this season really. I digress anyway, it appears I needed to vent that, haha sorry! I think you get it though. Thanks for the reminder about needing beauty and kindness in the world. Its very true, and certainly much needed now. Phew, what a time we are living in!!!!! Look after yourself and your head too. Always enjoy your words, thank you xxx
oh boy - pumpkin time for me I’ m an hr ahead and I didn’t sleep well last night - a bit of a sleep wimp - but maybe next week if it’ s going to be regular? thanks tho!
haha the latter - I’ m trying to pivot my processes to allow for these unspoken thoughts to be loosed. I’ m so visually creative that it’ s hard to find time - I can see a chink of light in my schedule this week - hoping to use it well!
If you're free at 8.30 tonight (UK time) we're having a sub-Substack Soirée co-working hour on Zoom. Nanette has posted the details in the Soirée Chat. xx
Miranda, I feel your frustrations and know them too. Keeping in the loop of everything whilst detesting being subjected to so much unhealthy information. The need to express and yet feeling suppressed. I take a gentler look at my reluctance to share and look to simply unfold things in simple storytelling- as and when I am ready. x
That's a lovely way to manage your own response, Alex. What does the unfolding look like for you? Do you eventually find the right time and headspace to express yourself? Or are you sitting on a thousand unspoken thoughts?
Miranda, this is fascinating. I don't know the mechanics of storytelling enough to pick this phenomenon apart, but I can feel it's impact. So to have you show a bit of how it works is really eye-opening.
Hey, Nanette! I'm honestly not sure that this article really makes the point I intended.
This weaponisation of storytelling methods is something I find fascinating, but it's such a BIG subject I'm struggling to get my head back around it. Especially given my current state of brain mush! I reckon it's something I'll have to write around for a while before I can find a way to express my ideas more clearly.
Reading it back now, I think I've melded two different pieces into one. One, is the mechanics of how storytelling methods are used to manipulate us in various ways. The other is about how it affects me personally and how it feeds on my own existing anxieties. Hmmm. I might have to rewrite this at some point. Or start again from a different angle.
I'm curious, when you say you can feel the impact of this phenomenon, what do you mean? What is it you've noticed? Is there anything you can pinpoint? I think I need to talk this out to get my own head around it ...
Oh gosh yes, totally with you on this! I've deleted news apps and facebook (not Instagram...yet) from my phone, I left twitter completely. I still look at the news from the browser but the constant bombardment of adverts is effective at making my time there brief. I do feel far more at peace in the brain department since doing this.
As for the bombardment of "news":
Years ago, I realize that the news reporters always gave us bad news, and matter how far a field they had to go find it, and it was always something we could not do anything about. That was back in the days of television, and I formed a habit of turning off the news. The important things always get through to me anyway.
These days, I disengaged my news feed on my phone. Every once in a while, or if something comes up, I will check my news feed. I am much happier, but not entirely isolated. I still wake up at 4 AM sometimes, with a pit of anger and grief in my tummy. At that point all I can do is pray.
Do you remember when news outlets tried to create "good news" publications? I think they died a fairly rapid death because people just didn't engage with them.
Right now, we all seem to be living in a state of hyper-vigilance that's utterly exhausting. I do try to switch off, but I'm fascinated at how often I find myself doom scrolling without even noticing how I got there. But that's what these devices are designed to achieve and humans really are that predictable.
Oh wow, this resonated HARD with me! I'm really struggling with the overwhelming and crippling volumes of deeply harrowing news and footage - I absolutely do not want to switch it off and stick my fingers in my ears and lalala my way through the weeks this continues for, yet I find it completely debilitating. To talk about menial and trivial things in comparison (let alone try and market myself for sales!) feels very uncomfortable even on the rare occasion my energies and flow align. I also particularly struggle with the unpredictable nature of feeds - a "quick scroll" which I've worked really hard on reducing (with mostly significant success, though also of course doing this imperfectly), can take me from ooh beautiful artwork/wares/relatable mum video/music/funny animals to the most heart-shredding grief and horror imaginable. Being blindsided by this footage hits me even harder I think? Sorry, I've rambled... But I really hear you, thank you for writing my own jumbled thoughts and internal struggles so eloquently. Sending love x
I love your ramblings, Cat. And I hear you and am with you in everything you say. I'm not really sure that this post is as coherent as I would have liked. I kind of reached a point with it where I just had to get it out and move on, or delete the whole damn thing.
Re: doom-scrolling. I find myself doing a lot less of this since moving my attention to Substack. Instead, I'm scrolling through well-thought-out articles and generous conversations. That's not to say I've completely kicked my Twitter/FB habits but there are only so many hours in the day.
Look after yourself and your head, Cat. We need beauty and kindness in the world more than ever. You bring both in abundance with your work. Big love to you. ❤️
Well I for one am very glad you shared it, it was good to read, thank you. I am doom scrolling massively less than before and it makes SUCH a difference doesn't it! an app limiter has helped and a general awareness of how I feel after scrolling (i.e like shit) has really helped me manage it. It is hardest in difficult news times and I really struggle to manage it then, so of course now is tricky - especially when I NEED to be online more to try and build for christmas! So finding it a very hard balance to find. If only we could default it to our profile not the feed when we open the app, but then that's how they make their money isn't it (eye-roll). Instagram is the only platform I use really, or on any regular basis certainly. I would like to spend more time on substack but feeling pretty stretched at the moment now we're in the run up to christmas, so trying to juggle and prioritise this season really. I digress anyway, it appears I needed to vent that, haha sorry! I think you get it though. Thanks for the reminder about needing beauty and kindness in the world. Its very true, and certainly much needed now. Phew, what a time we are living in!!!!! Look after yourself and your head too. Always enjoy your words, thank you xxx
oh boy - pumpkin time for me I’ m an hr ahead and I didn’t sleep well last night - a bit of a sleep wimp - but maybe next week if it’ s going to be regular? thanks tho!
That's the plan! Sleep well. ❤️
haha the latter - I’ m trying to pivot my processes to allow for these unspoken thoughts to be loosed. I’ m so visually creative that it’ s hard to find time - I can see a chink of light in my schedule this week - hoping to use it well!
If you're free at 8.30 tonight (UK time) we're having a sub-Substack Soirée co-working hour on Zoom. Nanette has posted the details in the Soirée Chat. xx
Miranda, I feel your frustrations and know them too. Keeping in the loop of everything whilst detesting being subjected to so much unhealthy information. The need to express and yet feeling suppressed. I take a gentler look at my reluctance to share and look to simply unfold things in simple storytelling- as and when I am ready. x
That's a lovely way to manage your own response, Alex. What does the unfolding look like for you? Do you eventually find the right time and headspace to express yourself? Or are you sitting on a thousand unspoken thoughts?
By the way, I really love your metaphors!
Thanks, Suzanna! I cut out four times as many as made it into the published version.
Miranda, this is fascinating. I don't know the mechanics of storytelling enough to pick this phenomenon apart, but I can feel it's impact. So to have you show a bit of how it works is really eye-opening.
Hey, Nanette! I'm honestly not sure that this article really makes the point I intended.
This weaponisation of storytelling methods is something I find fascinating, but it's such a BIG subject I'm struggling to get my head back around it. Especially given my current state of brain mush! I reckon it's something I'll have to write around for a while before I can find a way to express my ideas more clearly.
Reading it back now, I think I've melded two different pieces into one. One, is the mechanics of how storytelling methods are used to manipulate us in various ways. The other is about how it affects me personally and how it feeds on my own existing anxieties. Hmmm. I might have to rewrite this at some point. Or start again from a different angle.
I'm curious, when you say you can feel the impact of this phenomenon, what do you mean? What is it you've noticed? Is there anything you can pinpoint? I think I need to talk this out to get my own head around it ...
Oh gosh yes, totally with you on this! I've deleted news apps and facebook (not Instagram...yet) from my phone, I left twitter completely. I still look at the news from the browser but the constant bombardment of adverts is effective at making my time there brief. I do feel far more at peace in the brain department since doing this.