And why conflict-based news dominates. Plus, hopeful headlines about a native yard HOA battle, tribal land returns, beavers helping bats, ranchers helping prairie chickens, and more!
This nails something I've been watching play out. The conflict-mining machine is real, and it's killing people's ability to give a shit about anything. The Bonnie Scott story kills me. Woman plants native flowers, neighbors literally drive through her yard to screw it up, HOA wants her house. It's not a story of conflict but of spite. And the fact that multiple states have had to pass laws protecting people's right to plant native plants on their own property tells you everything about how broken this is. I like that you just decided to only cover solutions. Not because the problems don't exist, but because everyone else is already screaming about the problems 24/7, it's tiring and why add to the noise when you could show people what's working instead?
After listening to a podcast with David Bornstein I ask myself “What is this journalist’s theory of change?” whenever I read news. Are they just typing to get my attention or are they working toward a change, solution, that I can somehow learn from or participate in? Thank you for inviting us readers into solutions.
This comment really gets to the crux of the matter. I do know so many hardworking journalists who are good people. They'd tell you that their job is to "shine a light on the truth" so that citizens can make informed decisions (how to vote, what to buy, where to go, what to do, what and who to support.) We all need news in order to make informed decisions. We need good journalists. The best journalism does create change. But the big organizations engage in such groupthink and herd mentality that they get lost along the way.
You should see me every time I encounter one of those cuties. I once watched one clean himself for about 10 minutes. And sometimes they just float by quietly and you need a good eye to spot them.
Thanks for this link. I put this comment in: "We can't underestimate the impact of algorithms/recommendation engines in amplifying fear-based content that readers are tempted to click on. Seems like these engines would create positive feedback loops."
I agree. Good journalism should point more towards solutions and not just add fuel to the Outrage Machine. I try to keep this in mind in my own writing, which often begins with a critical or skeptical take on something but ends with something positive. It’s there if you take the time to look for it.
Amanda, I love your unofficial Earth Hope beaver logo♥️ Thank you for Earth Hope’s critical round-ups of news, hopeful news missing from MSM and legacy conflict-headline “reporting”. Having lived most of my adult life in NYC, I wonder how many New Yorkers realize we actually live among an archipelago of islands! MSM reporting focuses on the increased flooding, costly storm damage, invoking the terrible aftermath of Sandy. This crisis-focused nothing-we-can-do-about-it narrative impoverishes our imaginative capacities to think longer term and undermines political will for sustainable local solutions, like the billion oysters water restoration projects, or nurturing natural surge protection ecosystems instead of the terrible “U” solution of “wrapping” Manhattan and at-risk shoreline with a WALL.
Speaking my language here: "this crisis-focused nothing-we-can-do-about-it narrative impoverishes our imaginative capacities to think longer term and undermines political will for sustainable local solutions, like the billion oysters water restoration projects"
Thanks for this! I battle hope and despair within myself everyday! It is good to remember that within a healthy ecosystem there is both decay/death and regeneration/life.
This nails something I've been watching play out. The conflict-mining machine is real, and it's killing people's ability to give a shit about anything. The Bonnie Scott story kills me. Woman plants native flowers, neighbors literally drive through her yard to screw it up, HOA wants her house. It's not a story of conflict but of spite. And the fact that multiple states have had to pass laws protecting people's right to plant native plants on their own property tells you everything about how broken this is. I like that you just decided to only cover solutions. Not because the problems don't exist, but because everyone else is already screaming about the problems 24/7, it's tiring and why add to the noise when you could show people what's working instead?
Agree 💯 percent
After listening to a podcast with David Bornstein I ask myself “What is this journalist’s theory of change?” whenever I read news. Are they just typing to get my attention or are they working toward a change, solution, that I can somehow learn from or participate in? Thank you for inviting us readers into solutions.
You're welcome, Mark.
This comment really gets to the crux of the matter. I do know so many hardworking journalists who are good people. They'd tell you that their job is to "shine a light on the truth" so that citizens can make informed decisions (how to vote, what to buy, where to go, what to do, what and who to support.) We all need news in order to make informed decisions. We need good journalists. The best journalism does create change. But the big organizations engage in such groupthink and herd mentality that they get lost along the way.
I like your erratic friend
Truly an old friend. Little children can fit through the crack and make it to the other side.
Of course Switzerland has a National Beaver Office 😊🇨🇭🦫.
I live in the plateau where beavers live. Love them!
a national beaver office seems as important as a department of peace or road maintenance office 👍🏼
No argument there 😊.
You should see me every time I encounter one of those cuties. I once watched one clean himself for about 10 minutes. And sometimes they just float by quietly and you need a good eye to spot them.
Love this line: "For far too long, the media presented climate change as a 50/50 debate, when it was in fact a 99.9 to .1 debate among scientists."
Yep, the article by Specter has some details about that trend. The writer met with Al Gore, who complained to him that he was covering it all wrong.
There are so many wonderful stories about people making a difference in the world. Thanks for being one of those people, Amanda!
I too am rather jealous about the Beaver Office. So fantastic. And as always thank you for spreading earth hope.
https://davidrozado.substack.com/p/pessimism-in-news-media-headlines
Thanks for this link. I put this comment in: "We can't underestimate the impact of algorithms/recommendation engines in amplifying fear-based content that readers are tempted to click on. Seems like these engines would create positive feedback loops."
Great piece (and I love the unofficial logo)!
I agree. Good journalism should point more towards solutions and not just add fuel to the Outrage Machine. I try to keep this in mind in my own writing, which often begins with a critical or skeptical take on something but ends with something positive. It’s there if you take the time to look for it.
Amanda, I love your unofficial Earth Hope beaver logo♥️ Thank you for Earth Hope’s critical round-ups of news, hopeful news missing from MSM and legacy conflict-headline “reporting”. Having lived most of my adult life in NYC, I wonder how many New Yorkers realize we actually live among an archipelago of islands! MSM reporting focuses on the increased flooding, costly storm damage, invoking the terrible aftermath of Sandy. This crisis-focused nothing-we-can-do-about-it narrative impoverishes our imaginative capacities to think longer term and undermines political will for sustainable local solutions, like the billion oysters water restoration projects, or nurturing natural surge protection ecosystems instead of the terrible “U” solution of “wrapping” Manhattan and at-risk shoreline with a WALL.
Speaking my language here: "this crisis-focused nothing-we-can-do-about-it narrative impoverishes our imaginative capacities to think longer term and undermines political will for sustainable local solutions, like the billion oysters water restoration projects"
💯🙌🏼☝🏼
Thanks for this! I battle hope and despair within myself everyday! It is good to remember that within a healthy ecosystem there is both decay/death and regeneration/life.