The News Ain’t New
I graduated from college with a degree in Journalism.
I haven’t subscribed to a newspaper for years. I hardly subscribe to any magazines anymore.
When I was young, I did. I wasted my money that way.
It just suddenly occured to me one year, after reading Thoreau’s ‘Walden,’ that the news isn’t new
in any positive sense. He wrote something like “Why should I want to know what is new? I’m
want to know that which has never been old.”
I can tell you just about every day what will be in the newspaper. And not enough of it will make
any difference to me.
I can also tell you that what is in the paper or magazine will not be true. They’re sales pitches,
selling something I don’t need. Something they’re desperate to sell. So desperate they’ll do just
about anything.
I can also tell you that what will be ‘reported’ will be negative, depraved, and corrosive on any
normal mind. So why bother bending your mind like that to try to keep up with the trash they
dish out?
Most media never had a very lofty motive to begin with.
I tend to prefer the era when editors had their names and political views right on the masthead.
And when they were ready to duel for the truth of what they wrote. Today it’s just mushmouth
meelyness.
