Negativity drives online news consumption
About a year ago, I stopped consuming news cold turkey (save technology and movie news [the former work-necessary and the latter a personal vice]). I took the extra step of banning Twitter and Memeorandum at the router level, so that I couldn&#x27;t revert easily.<p>I didn&#x27;t read a single political news story in the ensuing six months. Some of the happiest months of my life. These days I will read the section headlines on Memeorandum if I&#x27;m out and about, every week or so. I have found that I no longer have any interest at all in the contents of the stories. Most seem so petty.<p>I don&#x27;t honestly give a f*ck if someone on either side of the aisle is caught doing something immoral, because there has been zero consequences during my 50 years of life. The vast majority of power players (politicians, businesspeople and celebrities) get off scott free, so I&#x27;ve just opted out of caring.<p>So much happier as a result.