The Dudeism Forum

I'm committing a news fast. It's something I've always opposed as kind of an abdication of responsibility, but I had been listening to The No Agenda show which was getting my head and heart all in confused knots, and then in the last episode Adam Curry, like he was talking directly to me said something to the effect of , "turn this off, go garden take care of yourself. You will be a lot happier." he may have said more after that but I don't know. I turned it off.

After years of fighting the drug war I have become a bit of a policy wonk, but yeah taking a break from the endless news cycle is a great way to recharge, reconnect and then return to the fight.

Quote from: Leopoldrose on April 28, 2013, 10:12:23 AM
I'm committing a news fast.

Excellent! Once you know the purpose of "the news" you pretty much have to turn it off out of self respect. Good on ya, Dude!

Quote from: Leopoldrose on April 28, 2013, 10:12:23 AM
I'm committing a news fast.

they're gonna make that a felony

you gotta keep taking the blue pills

To quote a dude..
" houses with lawns and television sets in each living room with everybody looking at the same thing and thinking the same thing at the same time while the Japhies of the world go prowling in the wilderness to hear the voice crying in the wilderness, to find the ecstacy of the stars, to find the dark mysterious secret of the origin of faceless wonderless crapulous civilization."
? Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Quotethe Japhies of the world go prowling in the wilderness

I'm a Japhie!

I make it my mission to go out after dark, both in the City and in the woods. It's better then, because no one is around they are all at home watching TV.!

It's ever so quiet and ever so still and always worthwhile.

The few people you meet are either crazy or friendly.

The animals you meet are generally shocked.

It's like a natural curfew!

Peace in your nocturnal ways.

Quote from: Easy McRider on April 28, 2013, 03:20:09 PM
To quote a dude..
" houses with lawns and television sets in each living room with everybody looking at the same thing and thinking the same thing at the same time while the Japhies of the world go prowling in the wilderness to hear the voice crying in the wilderness, to find the ecstacy of the stars, to find the dark mysterious secret of the origin of faceless wonderless crapulous civilization."
? Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Who you calling 'crapulous' dude?

Kerouac can call me whatever he likes and I would not disagree!

In fact I would be honoured!

Quote from: Caesar dude on April 28, 2013, 06:48:50 PM
Kerouac can call me whatever he likes and I would not disagree!

In fact I would be honoured!

I've had to do the fast thing myself because I could actually feel my blood pressure increase as I watched the shows. It was pointed out to me that yelling at my TV is extremely un-Dude. I must agree. I had to first realize that even if I had a bottomless pit of political knowledge I would still be powerless to change anything. Once that obstacle was surmounted the news fast was easy.
Now it's Sponge Bob Squarepants for me.

Quote from: LotsaBadKarma on April 29, 2013, 05:29:43 AM
Now it's Sponge Bob Squarepants for me.

Sponge Bob and naked Saturdays!

Only Saturdays...? 

Quote from: LotsaBadKarma on April 29, 2013, 05:29:43 AM
I've had to do the fast thing myself because I could actually feel my blood pressure increase as I watched the shows.

I'm kinda repeating myself here but it seems a reasonable contribution to the thread: The above is actually why people who make a habit of watching "the news" do it. It's not about being informed -- if you wanted to actually be informed, the last thing you'd do is turn on the television.

We select our television programs the same way we select which movies to watch. We decide, usually subconsciously, which emotional state we'd like to be in, and then we select accordingly. If you want to become happy you'll select a comedy or some other genre that will make you happy. If you want to become agitated (for the hit of adrenaline and cortisol) you might select the news or an action movie. And so on. We use the tube as if it were a mood altering drug. And in this here information age, we can do the same thing via the internet.

Paying regular attention to "the news" is, in this dude's opinion, very undude. There's no point to getting all jacked up on stress hormones while you're safely parked on your sofa in your comfortable home. It's just uncool to harsh your own mellow. 

Quote from: Easy McRider on April 29, 2013, 08:42:05 AM
Only Saturdays...? 

Yeh work tends to complain, and its a bit cold on the Tube around town.

Quote from: meekon5 on April 29, 2013, 09:08:28 AM

Quote from: Easy McRider on April 29, 2013, 08:42:05 AM
Only Saturdays...? 

Yeh work tends to complain, and its a bit cold on the Tube around town.

"Work tends to complain"  so you've tried several times then and they've still not been convinced