Men have become the tools of their tools.
—Henry David Thoreau
Take a break from the reality TV White House show, the news, TV, and the Internet once in a while. Find balance.
Greater focus, energy, and clarity. Safeguard against burnout.
There is a balance between ignoring what is going on altogether, and immersing ourselves in the toxic onslaught of bad news to the point that it’s overwhelming. Where you strike that balance is going to be a little different for everyone. Just like finding the right diet of food for your body, everybody is going to have different concerns and needs for what is a healthy media diet for themselves, and when to break from it. There is no one-size-fits-all daily news schedule that is right for everyone. Instead, you should come up with your own idea about how to limit your news-cycle intake to the right amount for you.
Here are some suggestions or starting points to consider.
I try to do two things: I have a media-free day, one day each weekend where I try to avoid news and the Internet altogether. It’s my media detox day. I also avoid getting on the Internet late at night (I make the cut off midnight) because that’s when I am most prone to get sucked into the never-ending stream of news, clicking on article after article.
Outrage exhaustion is a real tactic the Republican regime uses. We already know too well what a monster he is, there is no need to tire ourselves out reconfirming this endlessly. Instead, we should only keep tabs on his agenda insofar as it helps us combat that agenda.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t feel outrage. The corrupt administration is well deserving of outrage and scorn, but don’t let that emotion wear you out. Let your energy come from the strength of the goodness in your heart, let your positive desire for truth and what is right motivate you as much as anything else!
It’s all about balance. Striking the balance of emotions so that, yeah, you remain angry when Trump does something reprehensible and use that to keep your head in the game, to fight against apathy. But remember, your ability to resist is built upon your desire for freedom and truth.