Good News, Bad News, We Have Our Share

Words by Matthew Spence:

From our tabula rasa beginnings to lying and playing in the grass to our awkward years that felt like 30 years. To the last quarter, where we’re old, wrinkly, collecting social security, and wondering how the fuck did you even get your shoes on this morning.

We’re all trying to adapt to be the most grown in each stage of our lives. In some noticeable ways, stitching together one’s life, there are going to be threads (moments) that make us feel like we’re finally adulting or on the path to adulting. There are the “gold standards” for many people, such as, but not limited to, milestone birthdays, sweet 16s (optional: have an MTV broadcast of it), turning 13 if you’re Jewish, 15 if you’re in Spanish cultures (though more specific towards women), getting your license, and immediately getting a ticket after a month. Go further down in time; there’s living on your own, crying every time your account is in the negatives, and the couch becomes your preferred weekend friend. Indicators are so loud that a sign spinner can have a day off. A (Dammit) metamorphosis, so to speak. While there are more (and plenty more) sonorous examples, it’s the subtle ones that say it all, without even realizing it for a while. Bolded in the Top 3: Paying attention/watching the news more frequently/actively. It’s right next to making noises when you get up and sit down and feeling out of touch with youth culture.

With a 24/7 cycle of good, bad, comforting/sweet, informative, and terrifying discourse. That’s the news for you. Its distribution has evolved tremendously, from the paperboys who, if you didn’t tip well, would throw the next paper through your window, to people learning about the political and economic state of the world immediately after a thirst trap. Yet the relationship it has between all age groups (children, teens, adults, and elders) itself is indicative of the growth from kid to adult. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Up until a certain point, it’s something actively avoided by everyone of any age (however, depending on their upbringing, environment, and identity, many have no choice but to be aware and follow), but the reasons may vary. Most kids’ biggest worries are getting good grades (and hiding the bad ones). In fact, the only time kids will want the newspaper is for 3 reasons:

• To pretend to read it to feel like a grown-up
• Only for the cartoon comics
• Jump for the highest step to see if it’ll act as a parachute (or was that just me?).

Teenagers, the world already feels like it’s ending when you’re a teen, so why bother?

Trickling the same sentiment to adults as well. Seeing constant reminders of the famine, genocide, violence of every sort, oppression towards every kind of minority, and all of the sewage that can make the world feel like a cesspool will just add to the stress your noggin is dealing with on top of your personal issues. And I’ll take a guess that most people don’t want that.

Yet, if you Mario leap toward the next step, which will lead to the casual middle stage. Where it’s all about getting the news during more significant events you can’t avoid, which in some capacity has a hint of selfishness, because it’s usually news that would directly affect you in some way. But reality bites like that.

Before you know it, you’ve finally crossed over to the informative side, and you probably don’t even realize it. Think of your past self vs. your current self; talk about a character arc that the Grinch would be jealous of. 5 years ago, if you gave me the choice between watching/reading the news or watching the lowest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes, I would’ve just caved in and played in traffic. Now, the first thing I do in the morning now is check my news apps. It’s a game of keep up, catch up, and keep away.

Keeping up with current events locally, nationwide, and globally. Catching up on the good and the bad of the world (cause remember, there’s good happening in the world; it’s just not glamorized comparatively), and keep away from the fake, AI, and disturbingly biased, cause in this day and age, people are more skeptical of news due to people being able to spread false information on any platform. Is it real? Is it fake? Is this article real? AM I REAL??

Whether publications are dangling fruit that may be poisonous or even nutritious, hit with a mean case of “news fatigue” because best believe you can get it every now and then, or gleefully ready to indulge. It’s interesting how a full-circle moment registers in our lives, and we don’t even think much of it. Seamless transition to adulting.