Have you ever had one of those days, where every place you turn, you’re met with more bad news? Have you noticed an apparent increase in “depressing news” throughout media venues and social network circles? In fact, the presence of shocking, downbeat, awful stories that cause us to shake our heads and wonder what has happened to our world are so prevalent, one might suspect a direct intention (by vested parties who make big bucks off such things) to bring readers, viewers and listeners down.
It has become a rather common occurrence for me to hear family, friends and acquaintances say things like, “I canceled my newspaper subscription. The headlines are always so depressing.” Or, “I don’t watch the news anymore. They never report anything nice. It drags me down.”
The trend for barraging the mainstream public with bad news often includes stories about wayward teens and young adults. Kids committing murder. Kids doing drugs. Young people stealing cars and doing hard time in prison. Although, I understand the need to raise awareness regarding some of the more troubling issues of our time, the absence of good news is kind of irksome.
I love Jack Johnson’s, “Good People” song. The refrain offers this inquiry: “Where did all the good people go? I’ve been changing channels. I don’t see them on the TV shows. Where did all the good people go?”
I’m with Jack. If I were to gauge my impression of the current people status of the nation by what is reported in the media, I might begin to think “good people” have become obsolete.
I find myself reminding (myself) and others that there are plenty of “good people” out there; we just don’t hear about them in the news because media magnates are much more concerned with drawing substantial numbers of readers, viewers and listeners through the voyeuristic titillation that has inched its way into the fabric of our society as a preferred means of entertainment.
I, for one, would love to click on more stories like the following: It seems a young college student was driving by a house one day, when he saw a very elderly man struggling to mow his own lawn. He felt compelled to help. His desire has grown into a community service program with other young volunteers chipping in to mow the lawns of single mothers, elderly and disabled persons. Their current goal is to reach 100 lawns and they are well on their way! And, how about the young college football star, who gave up his junior year season to donate stem cells that saved a cancer patient’s life? He said that football is “just a game” and the choice was an easy one for him to make because a man’s life is more important.
Perhaps if more stories like these could find their way to the airwaves, it would inspire the “stars” of the not-so-good stories to make better choices in life. Case-in-point: I think we need more “good news” with our morning cups of Joe; don’t you?
Writer Bio
Judy Dudich resides in the beautiful woods of Pennsylvania, where 24 acres of land and a home-office provide the perfect setting for her children’s home-education and her own homesteading and business ventures. Life is full of blessings (and challenges!) for Judy, as a wife, mother of 10 and Grammy to six. She is a published author, whose book, “I Surrender/A Study Guide for Women” continues to encourage and support others in Christian family lifestyles throughout the world. Judy has also previously worked in the online speaking circuit. Her passion for permaculture, re-purposing, foraging and organic gardening fills her days with learning and adventure that she loves to share.
