Think back with me, children, to a time when something happened and we didn’t learn about it until minutes or even hours later—if ever. Every syllable spoken by boys in balloons and senators from Vermont wasn’t flashed across our screens instantaneously, and explaining a complex subject like health care or the designated hitter rule took thousands of words instead of 140 characters. And, if you can imagine it, some things even happened without anyone, anywhere, caring to comment.
Is it any wonder we’re all stressed out by the never-ending parade of things to worry about? Just on Monday, I worried about the vote in Afghanistan, the sincerity of George Clooney’s new girlfriend, whether there will be any swine flu vaccine left for me, the Dow’s rise, North Korea’s nukes, Ruth Reichl’s job prospects, college students’ mental health, and on and on.
But if I try and make it stop by staying away from screens for a day, I know I’ll be at a dinner party staring at the centerpiece while people all around me enjoy lively discussions on the news of the day, the hour, the minute.
So which is better? Information overload? Or willful ignorance? And is there some happy medium?
Let’s set aside, for a moment, David Letterman’s sexual trespasses. Let’s focus, instead, on his public relations strategy.
October is Arts & Humanities Month, which means 31 days of thinking, reading, talking and listening—through which we can all create a stronger, more vibrant community. Here are five must-dos on my personal list:
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