I can remember when I stopped watching t.v. It was around the same time that Obama was elected. That election process was so nerve wracking and emotionally grueling I decided I couldn't do it again. I started reading and listening to NPR. I haven't looked back nor regretted my choice.
We get so emotionally involved that sometimes we do ourselves harm. Me and a friend of mine were talking about energy last week, how you can feel a persons energy good or bad. Well, I know my energy while watching the presidential debates four years ago was chaotic, angry and at times there was rage. The t.v., family and friends got ear fulls and wave after wave of my angry energy and guess what, we passed it back and forth between each other. I lay on the phone for hours and hours rehashing remarks that were made, noting gestures and critiquing what each so called "Analyst" said on CNN and FOX. I learned something about myself and about news programs.
1. I am extremely empathetic, I have a problem disconnecting from issues which I feel are unjust. It's like I am sitting on top of a volcano and I am barely keeping the molten lava at bay.
2. News outlets are always going to have experts on who are going to affirm and negate the opinions you have.
You see, we invariably are going to drift towards the affirmation as a way of validating your argument; the proverbial "Co-Sign", and rage at the opinion of the one which negates. Now, here in lies the kicker, because these people are billed as "experts or analysts" we can sometimes start to feel as if somehow their opinions might some how be better or more accurate then our own. That's just not the case! we have our own thoughts and ideas and that's what we should go with. We can think for ourselves, research for ourselves, but I think we are afraid of pulling back the curtain on a lot of what happens in politics. Perhaps we are afraid that we see the ugly side of it all. Perhaps we might realize we've invested time, energy and money into a person or party which we would be ashamed to be affiliated with if we knew how dirty and immoral they really are. Who likes being in a relationship for decades only to realize the other person was cheating on you. We like our blinders, thank you very much! We allow news outlets to pull our strings and in turn direct and influence our energy flow however they see fit.
I challenge people to cut off the t.v. during the coming months. You already know who you are going to vote for. Go with your gut and let the chips fall where they may.
I challenge everyone of us to "Carry our weather within"-Stephen Covey
That means, no matter what is going on externally, we manage and control how we respond internally. You might see that you're better off for it.
~Gynger Fyer
Don't settle for smoke, when you can have Fyer!
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