Is Sensationalism filling your “INcome box”?

Sensationalism sells. Sensationalism is the #1 goal of any news or media organization on the planet, outside of maybe a very select few. If you are over 40 years of age, you have watched the news reporting journey over the course of our lifetimes evolve. Being over 40, most of us can remember when the local news wasn’t all about murders or local drama. We can also remember when NBC Nightly News or The Today Show wasn’t so heavily skewed to the liberal side of thought processes. 40 Years ago, you had to listen to the radio or be at home to turn on the television to get a morning or evening dose of the news. The news was much slower, and consequently, fewer events were reported and at fewer times of the day, that may create fear in one’s emotions. Fast forward 40 years and news is now like lightning. And beyond lightning speed, we are all holding the news at our fingertips almost 16 hours a day. Most people can’t get away from the news as it dings and bings and vibrates to notify us of an earthquake in Puerto Rico. It dings and bings and vibrates to let us know the Dow Jones Industrial Average has crashed over 1000 points today. News is “pushed” to us so that the organization gets the “Gold Medal” for “reporting it here first” or “we got it to you first”. And beyond news folks, there are then everyday people “breaking the news” on social media first. Everyone is trying to “spread the news, good or bad, first”. I used to be that guy who watched the news and read the news daily, from age 10 or so, in watching the local news, national news, or reading the Hutch paper daily. But as I watched and observed the internet take over, shaping minds on a whim, create chaos at every turn, importing “questioning” thoughts of anything or any person in everyone’s brain, and putting most all the 300,000,000 people in America on edge and in this almost constant state of agitation, I began to withdraw about 4 years ago. I used to believe we all needed to be watching and reading the news to be informed and educated. Today, we have improved and more intentional options to get more education and more information than ever before. But, just like in 1960 or 1980, we must choose those sources.

Australia had wildfires and the American news made it sound like the whole nation was on fire, consequently tourism is down for the awesome and great Aussies. Puerto Rico had an earthquake and the American news made it sound like half the island fell off into the ocean, consequently tourism is down for the awesome and great Puerto Ricans. We are under the grips of Coronavirus every single minute by minute news report consequently widely tanking the stock market with underlying extremely strong fundamentals. The #1 key is, success for every single person on this planet has a greater probability of occurrence for everyone to be better versions of themselves and have greater ability to enrich other lives through increased income if the news was “quiet”. Quiet news enriches lives. Calm news enriches lives. Quiet news reduces tension. Quiet news reduces anxiety. Quiet news reduces fears. Quiet news reduces jealousy and envy. Quiet news reduces division. But quiet news doesn’t “sell”….

So, the challenge is, we must be extremely intentional about what we consume. AND I MEAN EXTREMELY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT. There is so much wonderful information and learning opportunities out there today. But if we don’t very intentionally select and deselect what “comes at us” or what is “pushed to us” for what we consume, every media outlet is intentionally willing to fill your “inbox” with complete and total crap of whatever is being sensationalized at that news level, your community, regionally, or nationally. And if you are looking to grow your income, and enrich lives, your “income box”, then allows you to consume total crap. Of which won’t grow your ability to enrich other people’s lives in return not growing your income. If you want to enrich other people’s lives, then choose today to do so. Get on your phone, and deselect all the crap that is filling your “income box” that isn’t allowing you to be the best version of yourself. Stop all push notifications that fill your “income box” with total crap that doesn’t allow you to grow your knowledge. We all should stay educated on local, regional, national, and world events, but remember, the media doesn’t have your best interests in mind. They are paid for clicks, viewers, and eyeballs and minds consuming the sensationalism of the day. The news on Tom Brady’s contract, The Kardashians next night filled drama, local mugshots of non-law abiding citizens, fires in Australia, earthquakes in Puerto Rico, coronavirus’s next move, Blake Shelton’s next wife, and city drama being sensationalized by media organizations don’t make you the best version of yourself! Tune in to what does and be intentional about it. Be intentional about tuning it out, deselecting or deleting what gets “pushed” to your “income box”. Be intentional about who you allow into your mind, heart, and soul. If it isn’t watering and feeding the seeds in your heart, your mom or grandma wouldn’t want you to consume it.