What would happen if you ignored the news? Would you miss out on something important? Would it put you at a disadvantage in your job or social circles?
One of my university professors admitted they didn’t follow the news. They trusted that truly important news would come up in conversation with friends and colleagues in the day ahead. By spending less time filtering one-sided click-bait publications to find the few articles of substance, they could spend time on more meaningful things, like their family and research.
However, the danger with this approach is ending up in an echo chamber of groupthink, where you’re only reading articles shared by people who think, dress, and act like you.
Today, I generally follow a lean-news diet, a sort of light version of my professor’s approach. I’ve found it liberating to let go of a daily publication-scanning routine, and I don’t think I’ve missed out on anything important either.
I learn most of my earth-shattering news fast enough through word of mouth and the daily email from theSkimm. And for issues relating to product and technology, I keep a close eye on TechCrunch.
I’d be interested to hear your approach to news reading in the comments below, particularly how you deal with quantity, and filter for quality.