I get more tired of the constant complaining about work than I do politics. I find politics interesting especially now. I was very disappointed in that I went away for a girls weekend recently with coworkers who have become friends and we only talked about work. It was exhausting. I kept trying to change topic. Never worked.

I read enough news to stay informed about the world, but there's no reason to be plugged in 24/7 and no reason to dwell on the negatives. I think you are wise to take a time out. Go volunteer your services somewhere. It's refreshing to see your energies result in something positive.

I try to stay away from negativity as much as possible. At the moment this is sooo easy! Anther reason I love bicycle touring. :)

Moni

I get tired of the polarization, mostly caused by special interest groups including but not limited to the NRA, anti-gun lobbies, churches, political parties, and any number of "rights" groups who all are more like their opponents than different since they all cover their eyes and cover their ears while nothing is accomplished.

It becomes discouraging to begin and end the day the way I do. I read the newspaper in the morning (lots of bad news) and end my day by listening to the late news (more bad news). Bad news unfortunately is what sells, which is why any hint of conflict is shown over and over again on TV and radio, magnifying the effect.

Sephia, I feel the same. Everything you said plus some, then add in our real lives and friends/family who are ill, experiencing some kind of distress, rising prices and its hard to stay positive and efficient sometimes. I have to work at it, eat well, sleep, get outdoors, keep my head clear.

Years (many) ago I followed Dr. Raymond Weil a little. Even then when life was a little more simple, he would encourage one news free day per week for physical health and mental clarity. No newspaper, TV, radio, and now of course there is online. It may still be good advice....I'm finding getting up in the morning and browsing news sites is not a good way to begin the day, at least not every day. Of course we want to be current, but we also want to be well. And, productive.

I have recently turned off CNN and MSNBC because I'm getting tired of the rhetoric from all sides.And I am also taking a big break from Hot Topics.

I have also recently distanced myself from a friend because of her constant negative remarks about her life in general and her negative remarks about mutual friends. I'm also dealing with my mom who has worsening Alzheimers and I need to find my happy self again. I have to deal with my mom, I don't have to deal with my friend.

If you turn off CNN and MSNBC, Fox should be included. No network is more divisive.

Eh, I'm not sure what negativity is. Does it mean just disagreeing? Is disagreeing but explaining why and offering an alternative still called negativity?

There's a lot to disagree with in the political area these days. But for me, the more vehement or strident the comments, the easier they are to ignore or tune out. Also very easy to tune out are the double-talking, subject changers, who talk as if everyone listening loses attention from one sentence to the next and is a moron . The president talks in that style and has surrounded himself with similar people who evade questions and figure if they keep talking, the listeners will forget what the question was. Kelly-Ann, Sean, Sarah S, do you hear me now?

It's the soft spoken, well thought out comments I find most interesting and are the ones I'm more likely to listen to, whether I agree or disagree and whether they're what I find to be positive or negative in tone.

I like the 'starfish story'. I don't want to immerse myself in negativity, but neither do I want to totally separate myself from those having difficulties. I recognize that I can't solve all of the world's ills but if I can sometimes do something to help a person or critter have a better life that day, I feel like the person in the starfish story saving one starfish at a time.

My problem isn't the news or world events. There have always been wars and crises to report. It is the format of the news programs. After a very brief mention of the facts, they go to a panel discussion. It is so tiresome listening to these folks drone on and on. I certainly would not watch it for any great length of time. I rather do other things.

Yep! I notice lately that my breaks have been longer and longer, along with more frequent. So I must be thoroughly done with it all. I'm going to become a hermit.

If you turn off CNN and MSNBC, Fox should be included. No network is more divisive. - lily316

@liy316 - I can't get FOX so didn't feel the need to comment on it.

Amylou, I have NO idea where you live or work, but is your company hiring? LOL

I cried when I heard about Otto Warmbier dying.

I don't watch tv except from 8 to 10, I read selective articles on line. Keep up with the issues but not the people and try to stay in a positive place in my mind. Meditation helps me with that and I also pray.

Yes...very tired.

When Houzz gremlins were creating massive havoc a week or so ago...and my paid version of Malwarebytes 3 kept trying to shut it down...giving me repeated warnings...I decided Garden Web was expendable...so I left. Of course...once Houzz stabilized and Malwarebytes stopped having a nervous breakdown every time I came here to read and appreciate the photography...I signed on again. Some things in life are worth a little frazzle here and there.

But...I've gone to great lengths in my personal life to remove the stress created by our unsettled times...including removing TV from my life entirely, relying on my internet news sites and the NY Times to keep abreast in a more selective manner. I'm an inveterate reader so I never did spend much time looking to be entertained by TV offerings.

My door [both figuratively and in reality] which was always open to anyone in need or wanting to share time...has...for the most part...closed due to the unacceptable acts of many. I've finally run out of patience. A trait I thought I would never be without.

The sad thing...IMO...is that there's not just one stress contributor that I can point to that seems to be responsible for my daily angst. Unfortunately...it seems to be the current result of global unrest..possibly created by not having enough space for the population that we've spawned. Save a very few that I personally know...gone is the kindness of spirit that I knew as a child. I see a lot of it here...at the Table...which is one reason I decided to return. I don't often contribute much to this board but it has a way of renewing my faith in mankind just to read about the empathy of most of the members. Each day...someone here...renews my faith in humanity.

I have become a hermit to protect my sanity. Is it a sign of our times? I don't know. But it's become a necessary tool of survival for me in the area where I now reside. I am certain of one thing. The world is a much sadder place since this "attitude" has permeated my world.

We seem to know too much about the woes of the entire world and too little about our own immediate neighbors. I can't DO anything about the woes of the whole world.

In the same vein, why do people organize groups to travel miles -- even to other countries -- to 'help' people? The same problems exist a few miles from home.

Like Andi,I too,have retreated from the "majority" of the world.....

Like Andi,I too,have retreated from the "majority" of the world.....

As I see it, the human race has been exposed to a tremendous expansion of information flow, and the speed with which it is generated and distributed. We humans have not evolved at the same rate therefore are lacking in the ability to process and feel comfortable in this new environment. The irony is that humans created this condition - go figure!

The other problem that came with this expansion is adulteration of information. There are malcontents among us who's goal is to distort information to their liking and then try to force feed it to others. Quick information flow from around the globe to your computer screen was unheard of 50 yrs ago, and now it is commonplace and the its cost has shrank. Along with this good came the bad - distortion of the truth. It has become difficult to sort out fact from fiction, and many have become information fatigued.

My brain cannot keep up with the amount of information it is bombarded with on a daily basis. And then it gets a headache and needs to back away from the news, which is what is happening right now.

I thought you were just asking if we ever get tired. Yes, I get tired.

Today I can hardly hold my eyes open. I get so tired.

As far as the news, I have reached the point where I cannot even watch it on television. I hardly ever turn it on. I wish I could block every single Facebook post with the name Trump in it. I am tired of shootings and cruelty and drug abuse. In the car, I listen to the Oldies station. I used to enjoy NPR but not now.

I feel much like many of you. News and information is so instant now, and constant, that I've had to disengage from it. I'm too sick of all the news/information containing Trump's name, I'm tired of shootings, rampant drug abuse, homelessness. Disengaging from all of it this week has felt refreshing to me. I don't want to be ignorant of world happenings, I just need more of a balance of how much I pay attention to it. I'm tired of Trump drama!

I am totally in agreement with all of you. I'm just going to try to make the best of it with what I have and not worry about everything else. My escape is playing facebook games, reading, and flower gardening. These are the things that make me happy. I don't care any more to watch the news. If people don't know by now how bad taking drugs is, they'll never know. So be it, that's their problem. I'm not going to make in my problem. My favorite shows I watch are the old shows from MeTV. They don't make shows like Carol Burnett, Columbo, Perry Mason, or Murder She Wrote any more.

Please, dear KT friends, do not resign from the world. That's the aim of those who want to rob you of your influence. Filter. Look beyond shallow 'news bites' and well timed distractions from what does and should concern you.

It's ironic that CNN ushered in this deluge. Before their constant coverage of news events broadcasters only provided news because it was required of them to have licenses to broadcast. After CNN, networks discovered they could attract advertisers to sponsor 'news'. Then it was a race to provide some kind of 'content' 24/7.

"Follow the Money" when you want to know why something is happening. Keep peeling until you find who profits.

Something interesting. My best friend from way back when, is a psychiatrist, who does talk therapy in addition to medication management. She told me that lots of her patients talk about their sadness, disillusionment, frustration, etc., with conditions in the world. A lot of people are scared and anxioys about the direction this country is going. It's a frequent theme in her practice, along with many of her colleagues. Coincidentally this angst among her clients has ramped up since Trump was elected. By the way, I live in a very blue part of my state.

I stopped all tech, media, negativity, etc for a few years. When I came back to the modernity of the world (though I had plenty of friends and activities then), I felt SOOOOO refreshed and ready to handle stuff. Now I ration the amount of news and negativity I expose myself to. I still read serious journals on war and injustice, but I dose it better now. Do it. 1 yr minimum.

I do get tired, but I also understand how important it is now more than ever to be in tune and aware of the direction we are headed in. A lot of the decisions being made currently by our politicians will affect literally all of us in one way or another, no one is exempt, so it's important.

I do try to be choosy about who and what stories I watch or read. I don't want to hear the opinions and propaganda from the talking heads. It's near impossible to find a news source that offers just the facts as opposed to people who are paid to just hear themselves talk, but I try to filter through it the best I can to reach my own conclusions.

Chisue is right, much of it is to wear us down and turn us into zombies about it. Don't let them win!

Oh so true, from every side of the fence, in Media that is.