I don't suppose there can be too much news for a species as curious as ours is. We're all huge sticky-beaks.

The comments so far indicate that most of us couldn't imagine a world without non-stop instantaneous feedback at the press of a button. I wonder if it makes us more fearful or more assured?

Poirot (and others),

I too despair with the quality of the news - I seldom watch it on TV (although I do like SBS world news) and haven't bought a paper in years. But if you are really looking for rubbish, check out MSN online daily (it’s like a car crash for me – I know it is bad to look but I can’t help it!).

To answer one of your earlier questions first – yes, I think that there could well be a cumulative effect of bad news on the psyche of young minds and my sub-ten children don’t get to see it as a result. I also think Lexi’s comment on violence is spot on.

Is there too much news? No, I think that there are some general concepts that play out with the enormous barrage of information where the truth is in there somewhere, even under the most enthusiastic efforts to dress it or distort it. As with the more loftier questions of life, it is up to the individual to interpret by their own values and in doing so forms their character.

Sounds good in theory but what if the character is formed by believing all the rubbish we see? Unfortunately, that is the case in the vast majority of our population.

Continued ...

... continued

You last question is a bit more pointed and leading – should we be fearful or assured? I will take it out of context intentionally and suggest that if you take the time to analyse many of the news and CA stories, both elements are at play – make you fearful of something but then assure you that it is all OK because ... (1) we have a policy, or (2) the police will protect you, or (3) we have a better policy, or (4) the army will protect you, or (5) etc.

A bit off-topic but this ploy? is also utilised significantly in TV advertising. For example - “be scared that all these nasty germs will make your family sick, so buy our anti-bacteria spray to sanitise your kitchen!” Create a problem and then solve the problem with something that you don’t need (and may be harmful by introducing toxins and/or reducing the ability of children to properly develop an immune system).

How did we get here?