I haven’t written something in forevs, so here’s the new newness: Don’t Read the News! My favorite bit o’ bs from it: Liberal bias is to be expected in the news, because the news prioritizes change over permanence, and that’s hostile to a conservative outlook. Like everything I do, I mean it all with an almost painful sincerity.
Alright, Austin. Here are my long-promised comments.
I don’t know if I fully agree. I think that “news” requires a “storied” perspective—one that acknowledges movement in life, resisting that which is static and stagnant. But is change fundamentally “un-conservative”? I’m not sure that’s wholly true. Davey and I still consider ourselves conservatives (I think), but we also believe in the necessity of change and growth. And I don’t think this means we contradict ourselves.
Aside from that, my chief question is: how do we keep up with current events while ignoring the “news”? You obviously distinguish between the two, and while I agree we need to be less concerned with what Jon & Kate are up to, there is a legitimate need to be acquainted with what’s going on in the rest of the world. Is Front Porch Republic really enough?
You’ve piqued my interest and made me think, but I still plan to follow the National Post every day like I do. Sorry.
Thanks for the comments! I certainly don’t think of myself as against change, per se, but certainly against the perspective of constant, violent change the news seems to promulgate. I like the local news better, because you’re more likely to get the “soft” pieces that portray more constant things in life. This puts me in a weird place, because I also hate local news.