The Paradox Of Information Consumption

Art by Alexa Lunney

Today, we have access to any information we want at the click of a button, and I don’t believe enough people are thinking about how mind-boggling it is. I get it—it is hard to believe this “access” is anywhere close to significant when we are constantly using technology to function.

Don’t know where the closest Starbucks is? Google Maps.

Don’t know if you are about to freeze your ass off in the cold? Weather App.

Don’t know the name of the song playing? Spotify. (I’m looking at you, Apple Music listeners.)

Technology is so embedded in our society that our reliance on it is not surprising, as that is the point. Technology was created for it to be relied on, but even with our continuous reliance on technology for our day-to-day needs, I am convinced that most of society are not using this tool to our full advantage. 

But whether you are scrolling or even getting notifications through the news, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube, there will be other content that will pop up that your brain is subconsciously processing and in hindsight, we are constantly passively taking in information. 

Journalism student Molly Dehaven ‘27, said, “There is something to be said about the 24-hour news cycle and how easy it is to constantly consume news, but the reality is that this will likely always be accessible for people who need it. When it comes down to it, people need to understand their limits.”

This begs the question of how we limit ourselves and when limitation can turn into ignorance.

Dehaven answered, “I think there is importance in knowing what is going on and I think that ignorance can be dangerous to a certain extent. You need to find a sweet spot between being educated and not over-consuming to the point of being desensitized or negatively impacted by the media.”

As amazing as it is to have access to any information we want, much of our media is full of tragedy—what makes it worse is that sometimes news outlets exploit the tragedy for the sake of ratings, and not for the people who wish to simply be informed. 

Journalism student Megan Boucher ‘27, said, “It’s hard to have to interact with the news so often as it can get really depressing sometimes. To avoid doom scrolling and to break up the negativity, I like to purposefully seek out positive stories. Or honestly, just stepping away from social media helps a lot, too.”

It is clear that many people who do keep up with the news have become desensitized to mass tragedy and others who try to get informed end up being discouraged and avoiding the news altogether.

Boucher commented, “I think everyone I know is desensitized. We are so bombarded by information that the only way to cope with it is to compartmentalize our emotions and this leaves us feeling desensitized to the news.” Dehaven added, “I feel like people read so much about things happening around the world that they do not truly process and empathize, which leads to them having little to no remorse for tragedy.”

News consumption is amplified by the fact that it is now being spread through social media platforms; whether it is  literal news platforms, social media profiles, or people spreading news themselves through informational slides and reposts. While social media is a great way to get people to learn more about issues happening around the world, just like any news source, social media shouldn’t be your only form of reference when educating yourself on what is happening in the world. 

Mass desensitization could have implications beyond just feeling nothing when viewing saddening news, such as being less proactive in creating change to stop the issues. In a way, this builds a sense of doom—if nothing can be done about it anyway, why try being informed at all? The level at which people are exposed to graphic details and imagery makes you wonder if it's even possible to stay healthily informed.

Boucher said, “I think we’ve reached a point where overconsumption is the norm. There really is no way to fix it on a wide scale. If we want to decrease how much we consume, it must come through on a personal level.”

Just like anything in life, we are each responsible for our own well-being, meaning only you know when it’s time to take a break when it comes to consuming news. Everyone has different thresholds for what we can handle—no one is going to hold you accountable for creating this boundary but yourself. 

With that being said, as easy as it is to sit here and discuss how watching the news can be depressing, it is 100% a privilege to be watching the news from afar and not actually be the news. Being able to comment on how the news interacts with our society is a privilege in itself, considering  that means I have that access to an array of different news sources to even be making these observations in the first place. 

At the end of the day, it is up to the individual to set those healthy boundaries when taking in media and the news. While it can be disheartening to know what kind of state the world is in right now, it is crucial to be aware of what is happening. While most news outlets are giving in to shock value, there are also many out there trying to preserve the humanity of situations and only displaying the facts of what occurred. Being ignorant has never benefited anyone, so choosing to stay in the dark when it comes to the news is not the answer. If the news is getting very heavy, instead of backing away from it, people should instead take the time to look for stories of how in crisis there are still victories and hope for change. By bringing attention to news stories that don’t hide you from the reality of the situation, but also gives ways to help and give hope to a problem, we can all be more productive when it comes to our news consumption and the steps we can take to help.