The News

It's everywhere. We're completely inundated with information. Some of it useful. Some of it basically worthless. The big question is, "how do I really understand anything about what's going on in the world?"

With so much news coming at us in this media-saturated age, I often wonder if I can really find anything meaningful in the snarl of bits and bites that is my internet news provider. But I'm not giving up. Instead, I'm trying my best to wade through it.

I think too many people want thier information spoon-fed to them. Which would be ok if there were a way to get information, namely news, in a consistent, condensed and filtered way, without any commentary. In theory there is. But in practice, we really want to know what the news means too. That's when the problem comes in. We turn to the source we think is most likely to tell it like it is...as long as that includes falling within our ideological confines. So you have Fox News, CNN, Air America, Drudge Report and on and on.

I know it takes some effort to do this ourselves. And I know we'll never get it all. But there is something right and true about reading the news ourselves, doing our best to discover and filter the bias, contemplating what it means for our society and then taking any action we deem necessary in our daily lives to make it count on our level. It's what being an involved citizen in America is all about. Living the changes and ideals we want to see in our country. Somehow I think if everyone did that instead of talking a lot, complaining, attacking those who disagree with us and then going about our lives as before, we might see some real change in America...for the better.

-joel