We have never been so well-informed of what is going on in the world. From foreign affairs, to health and scientific news, by way of economic and financial developments, not to mention news of public and private scandals and, if you insist, environmental catastrophe, it's all there in front of nose, ears and eyes.
What are we supposed to do with all this knowledge? We can't seriously be expected to take on board this catalogue of disasters (for news is almost by definition bad news) and to retain our sanity, can we?
I know that we cannot seriously argue in favour of LESS information, unless we are also advocating more censorship. At the same time, if the net result of saturated news coverage is to turn us all into gibbering wrecks, it is hard to contend that much progress has been made.
I am tempted to join Thomas Gray when he writes:
"... where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise".
Incidentally, these well-known lines come right at the end of Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College, a much darker poem than I had thought.
What are we supposed to do with all this knowledge? We can't seriously be expected to take on board this catalogue of disasters (for news is almost by definition bad news) and to retain our sanity, can we?
I know that we cannot seriously argue in favour of LESS information, unless we are also advocating more censorship. At the same time, if the net result of saturated news coverage is to turn us all into gibbering wrecks, it is hard to contend that much progress has been made.
I am tempted to join Thomas Gray when he writes:
"... where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise".
Incidentally, these well-known lines come right at the end of Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College, a much darker poem than I had thought.
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