Relief from Cynicism or Burying One’s Head in the Sand?
I don’t watch network or cable news shows anymore, because they provide such a warped view of reality, and because they’re about 10% news and 90% editorializing. Life just isn’t as awful or depressing as the news makes it appear.
I’ve been thinking about my angst vs. optimism post, and about just how much bad news our students hear every day. If you and your students need a dose of optimism, there are a few websites that can provide a temporary relief from the cynicism, negativity and mean-spiritedness that we’re confronted with on a daily basis:
- HelpOthers.org:Â Reader-contributed stories of kindness, and ideas for random acts of kindness.
- HappyNews.com: Positive headlines from around the world, including stories of ordinary heroes.
- Good News Blog: More good news, grouped by category: Rescues, Science and Technology, Charity, Animals, Love, and so on.
- Good News Network: Another site with positive news headlines.
People react in different ways to sites like these. Some people are happy to get some relief from all the negativity, while others find these sites corny, artificial and the Internet equivalent of burying one’s head in the sand. I suppose it depends on your overall outlook on life.
Personally, I like them. I wouldn’t want these sites to be my only source of news about the world, but they are good reminders that people are basically decent human beings, and that life is beautiful.
