Is journalism nonsense?

[Blessed2]

So I've been contemplating on this as I'm going to seek new studies this spring and journalism might be one of the possibilities.

 

Baiscally, how I see it and how I suppose journalism is taught/assumed to be in general, is this

 

1. There's the journalist

 

2. There's the production/product (such as an article, podcast, etc)

 

3. There's the audience.

 

To put very simply, an example... The journalist interviews an expert of some field, writes an article about it for an audience to read.

 

That feels off.

 

Like for example, there's the assumption that the journalist can be either biased on un-biased, and must attempt to be as un-biased as possible. This is one of the key concepts / ethical standpoints one must learn and adopt when he studies journalism.

 

That feels off.

 

Also that the journalist produces a product which is then offered for an audience.

 

Again, separate selvery. Feels off.

 

It seems to me like almost, maybe, the entire field of journalism is based on separate selvery, basically ignorance. And if I imagine working in that field, within that framework of a journalist separate from the information and from the audience, I instantly experience an uncomfortable emotional and bodily reaction.

 

Especially the biased vs. unbiased - thing feels very off.

 

 

Though at the same time, there are other forms of media / "journalism" (which might not be generally recognized as journalism or even media... Such as art; film, music, dance, poetry, photography even. And if we dig a little deeper and stretch some 'boundaries', what about channeling? Is Esther Hicks a journalist? How Reiki? Or Jesus? The emotional guidance? Meditation? Prayer?

 

On this area there's less to none discord. The separation between the journalist, the product, the audience begins to wither away.

 

Ultimately, what I think is straight "journalism" is those boundaries completely gone. Direct.

 

So does it even make sense to study journalism at this point?

 

Like for example... In the journalism studies, every student must submit a thesis. Usually in terms of journalism studies, it's something like a set of articles, a documentary etc.

 

I wonder what would happen if you'd submit a set of channeled poems and/or photography inspired in aligned state of thought.

 

[Mandy]

Are you seeking new studies or news studies? Isn't journalism mostly writing news? 

[Mandy]

"Is journalism nonsense?" Is really asking "Is journalism inherently good or bad?" The only question you can feel into and know with clarity is "what do you want?" 

 

If you were going to study or practice or do something but not with with a teacher or organized school and limit yourself to what's offered, but just anything on your own, what would you want to study or practice? 

[Blessed2]

46 minutes ago, Mandy said:

If you were going to study or practice or do something but not with with a teacher or organized school and limit yourself to what's offered, but just anything on your own, what would you want to study or practice? 

 

What we're doing on this forum.

 

And maybe hiking.

 

I don't like that question.

 

[Mandy]

26 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

 

What we're doing on this forum.

 

And maybe hiking.

 

I don't like that question.

Feeling guidance is easily hijacked by thought and becomes judgement and then aversion is the byproduct. What feels off about the question, what other thoughts are coming up around it, can you further express it? 

[Blessed2]

22 minutes ago, Mandy said:

Feeling guidance is easily hijacked by thought and becomes judgement and then aversion is the byproduct. What feels off about the question, what other thoughts are coming up around it, can you further express it? 

 

Thanks for asking.

 

If I dive into the question what I'd like to do if there was no limits, nothing really comes up. Like I don't really want to do anything.

 

All those things are really just wanted cause something else is wanted, ultimately leading to that only feeling good is wanted, and other stuff is wanted only because they're assumed to bring about good feeling.

 

Like for example... At first it seems like I want a career and good income.

 

Then it's noticed that a career and good income is wanted because that's believed to be necessary to experience the relationships I want to experience. (Career and income turn into ash, tastes like ash.)

 

And then it's realized that the relationships are only wanted because good feeling is wanted. (Relationships turn into ash.)

 

And then a very discordant thought comes. That if what's really only wanted is good feeling itself, then the universe would disappear into nothingness. And that thought feels like fear and despair.

 

I could imagine being limitlessly powerful. I could create, experience anything, by just snapping my fingers. If I do a daydream like that, all the desires just turn into ash. I could even imagine myself being eternal, limitless angelic being spending eternity in the most beautiful nature I can imagine, doing anything I want, but it would still feel pointless and turn into ash.

 

That's also why it feels discordant when someone says "you can be, do or have anything you want". Sure. I'm the creator. But what is there to create?

 

So what is wanted is that some activity would actually be wanted.

 

Edited February 12 by Blessed2

[Blessed2]

8 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

 

Thanks for asking.

 

If I dive into the question what I'd like to do if there was no limits, nothing really comes up. Like I don't really want to do anything.

 

All those things are really just wanted cause something else is wanted, ultimately leading to that only feeling good is wanted, and other stuff is wanted only because they're assumed to bring about good feeling.

 

Like for example... At first it seems like I want a career and good income.

 

Then it's noticed that a career and good income is wanted because that's believed to be necessary to experience the relationships I want to experience. (Career and income turn into ash, tastes like ash.)

 

And then it's realized that the relationships are only wanted because good feeling is wanted. (Relationships turn into ash.)

 

And then a very discordant thought comes. That if what's really only wanted is good feeling itself, then the universe would disappear into nothingness. And that thought feels like fear and despair.

 

I could imagine being limitlessly powerful. I could create, experience anything, by just snapping my fingers. If I do a daydream like that, all the desires just turn into ash. I could even imagine myself being eternal, limitless angelic being spending eternity in the most beautiful nature I can imagine, doing anything I want, but it would still feel pointless and turn into ash.

 

That's also why it feels discordant when someone says "you can be, do or have anything you want". Sure. I'm the creator. But what is there to create?

 

So what is wanted is that some activity would actually be wanted.

 

 

Yeah, it could be that this is just believing thoughts, and a new thought can appear that cuts through it like it's nothing.

 

Maybe it's similar to rumination like solipsism.

 

Tastes like SHIT. Literally. In my mouth right now.

 

[Mandy]

@Blessed2 Can you pick out and expand on the beliefs in the longer post above your latest?

 

The second step is asking if and how that belief serves "you". Rather than choosing beliefs that serve "us", they can be chosen based on how they feel in the present. A belief that served you in the past might no longer serve you right now. Sometimes seeing what value it brought to us can help us to let it go. 

 

7 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

 

 

Tastes like SHIT. Literally. In my mouth right now.

 

🤢The holy purge. 😂

[Blessed2]

24 minutes ago, Mandy said:

Can you pick out and expand on the beliefs in the longer post above your latest?

 

What do you mean pick out and expand?

 

Like try to point out more specific beliefs?

 

[Mandy]

49 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

That's also why it feels discordant when someone says "you can be, do or have anything you want".

This for example is a belief. It doesn't feel discordant every time someone says something. "Grandma is dead" feels discordant when it isn't accepted because it's new and likely it's met with resistance and assumed separation. "Grandma is dead" ten years after Grandma died is no longer discordant, it doesn't even need to be stated. Words and phrases are not ever the source of discord in themselves, perhaps a belief or underneath is. What does it mean for me if Grandma is dead?

[Mandy]

5 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

Like try to point out more specific beliefs?

Specific or even much more general, the unstated beliefs, sort of like chasing a vine back to the root. 

[Blessed2]

42 minutes ago, Mandy said:

This for example is a belief. It doesn't feel discordant every time someone says something. "Grandma is dead" feels discordant when it isn't accepted because it's new and likely it's met with resistance and assumed separation. "Grandma is dead" ten years after Grandma died is no longer discordant, it doesn't even need to be stated. Words and phrases are not ever the source of discord in themselves, perhaps a belief or underneath is. What does it mean for me if Grandma is dead?

 

Well... Here's something that comes up about that comment (you can be, do, have anything you want).

 

If I had literally everything I want today, I'd win the lottery, get the dream house etc, I'd still drink alcohol tonight until I practically pass out.

 

And I'm not sure why. Cause the dream house etc, would be pointless in eternal sense.

 

I'd still get bored.

 

10 dream houses?

 

Still bored.

 

Meaninglessness.

 

I'd still drink.

 

I cannot visualize having anything that would make me not want to drink that night.

 

41 minutes ago, Mandy said:

Specific or even much more general, the unstated beliefs, sort of like chasing a vine back to the root. 

 

Nothing really comes to mind.

 

Just that it all seems meaningless. Cannot see how meaning could be created.

 

 

I don't know. This fucking sucks. I'm experiencing the emotion irritation.

 

Tonight I'll drink again and nothing will change. I should just feel this and not suppress. I should journal or whatever. But it's just ao uncomfortable. And tomorrow would be the same.

 

Edited February 12 by Blessed2

[Mandy]

25 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

 

Well... Here's something that comes up about that comment (you can be, do, have anything you want).

 

If I had literally everything I want today, I'd win the lottery, get the dream house etc, I'd still drink alcohol tonight until I practically pass out.

 

And I'm not sure why. Cause the dream house etc, would be pointless in eternal sense.

 

I'd still get bored.

 

10 dream houses?

 

Still bored.

 

Meaninglessness.

 

I'd still drink.

 

The emotion now experienced, (pessimism, discouragement, powerlessness, or whichever) doesn't mean that the thoughts about the subject are true. The dream house won't bore you, boredom is an emotion that isn't actually caused by objects or circumstances. Boredom is experienced now. Food might seem boring now, but don't eat for several hours and it won't be. 

25 minutes ago, Blessed2 said:

I cannot visualize having anything that would make me not want to drink that night.

 

 

Not from the current emotional haze you can't, but you can pick a thought that feels slightly better. "I don't have to figure this all out right now." "I could go drink a lemon water, or have an apple, I could do a few minutes of stretching, or walk outside a few minutes."

[Joseph Maynor]

What's the alternative?  I wouldn't say journalism is nonsense, but I would say don't take everything you hear or read at face value.  I can usually tell which are the stronger facts when I read articles online.  I can tell when conclusions are being stated as facts or when the facts are being left out.  Always look for the points being made and the facts being marshalled in support of those points.  You have to be able to analyze an argument like is usually taught in critical thinking courses.  So you have conclusions being made and the reasons being provided to support said conclusions, and you can actually weigh the strengths of both and come to your own conclusion as to whether it's in good form or not.  There's a lot of lying and manipulation in journalism now.  But real investigative journalists are very fact-oriented.  Maybe like the Associated Press.  A lot of outlets buy their news from the AP anyway.  And the duality between news and commentary has also been blurred.  The duality between true and false has also been blurred.  People have labeled this as Post Truth Politics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-truth_politics

Edited February 12 by Joseph Maynor

[Phil]

What’s being said about separate selves is being said as if a separate self.  

It’s an interpretation, not a self. 

 

[Blessed2]

It could actually be kind of funny to write articles and do interviews while remembering you're just dreaming it all up and making dream articles about dream stuff for a dream audience.

 

That's something to try when a lucid dream pops up.

 

[Blessed2]

One of my favourite books is this tiny pocket-sized collection of Zen-type (non-duality) quotes.

 

I'd love to do simple work like that. Just collecting quotes, aphorisms, poems etc.

 

Maybe adding some photography to it.

 

That would be the #1 dream job if I go into journalism.

 

It probably wouldn't pay enough to live though. 😂