I wonder if it is just me - however nowadays I find myself going out-of-my-way to avoid radio and televisions news bulletins? This recent avoidance of anything newsworthy is a very new phenomenon with me because in the past I have always been something of a news junkie; in that I was always interested, that’s the word - interested. Nowadays, not so much!
For instance at one time I would always watch those grim ‘question time’ debates on the television and vigorously shout at those ‘numpties’ both on the panel and in the audience who’s views didn’t closely ally with my own. However, my newly found disinterest in all that is currently newsworthy goes deeper than that I’m afraid. Could it be that I have finally come to the conclusion that losing my ‘rag’ over Liz, Boris, Vladimir (Putin that is, not the other one, as he’s a nice chap isn’t he….isn’t he?) or anyone else in the news is both futile and vaguely pathetic.
I know that a person should be interested, nay passionate, about all manner of things that should or should not happen in the world; but I wonder that at a given time in a person’s life he or she will just say - “sod it, I’m just not interested.” It has got so bad that I have started to turn down the radio when the hourly news bulletin comes on. As for watching Sky News for hours on end when one of our recent Prime Ministers has made a total prat of him/herself and has been forced to resign - dare I say it? I just don’t actually care that much anymore thank you.
The same applies, but in a different way, when a natural disaster hits - say Pakistan, or Ukraine is once again subjected to a brutal military assault by the Russians. On these occasions, yes I do care, but as I get older I become both frustrated and cynical both at the same time, knowing that whatever is pumped into my living room via the television or radio I can do precisely nothing about any of it. I have to say that it’s the same when reading the occasional British newspaper nowadays and finding yourself avoiding the most flagrant party political bias, or even better reading what a total disaster Prime Minister Truss had been, just two weeks after that self same newspaper praised her and her disastrous mini-budget and calling her the champion of ‘growth’ just as the British economy went to hell in a handcart.
Nevertheless, there are times when a news item does lighten my heart in a most spectacular fashion. I have to say that reading the other day on my online Majorca Daily Bulletin that the Sun newspaper had printed a story regarding how some leading politicians in Mallorca had on the one hand condemned the further promotion of popular tourism, whilst at the same time others were enjoying the many benefits of one of tourisms most prestigious world-wide trade fairs. I have to say that this story and this story alone - has, as they say - cheered me up no end - more please!