Stop watching pundits on cable news channels.
This goes for whichever side you’re on, whichever network you normally watch.
Y’see, here’s the thing: they’re usually wrong. They’re speculating while all the facts are still not known. And every time a new fact is revealed it suddenly changes the scenario and they have to speculate in an alternate direction.
All the while your anxiety level continues to rise.
And Jesus, isn’t the current political climate stressful enough? Last week alone.
Now you could say, well, I have to be informed. And I say yes, but that’s not what this is. This is just guesswork mixed with rumor flavored by bias and spin. Nothing in your life or the world is going to change by not watching talking heads you don’t know break down legal and political issues they don’t know.
Free yourself. Don’t sit in your room. Go outside and play.
I know it’s tempting when a story comes along that could advance your side. You want assurance that things are as good or bad as you are hoping for. But these explosive “bombshell” stories come every day now. It’s exhausting.
Look, in 2016 I was glued to my screen. I had to hear the analysis from every debate, every step of the election. I checked the polls, I read the articles, anytime I saw three people sitting at a round table talking I watched. I’d check out the opposing news channel to know what their pundits were saying. I was a walking Wonk.
And you know what? They were ALL WRONG. All the analysis, all the predictions – DEAD WRONG. I wasted a year listening to these nimrods.
So by not watching them now I don’t believe I’m missing anything.
It’s a trap, a time suck, and only ends with you taking fistfuls of Lexapro and eating gallons of ice cream.
In 1949 slugger Ralph Kiner had a big season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was surprised when team president Branch Rickey did not offer him a raise for the following season. “But I hit 54 home runs,” Kiner exclaimed, to which Rickey replied, “Yeah, but the team finished last. We can finish last without you.”
The world will turn whether you watch roundtables or not.
It’s a brand new week. Get out and enjoy it. You’ll thank me.
(Coming up in the next half hour, four experts will debate this blog post.)
from By Ken Levine
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