Alejandra Quintero suggests that the news is bad for us quoting Ralf Dobelli:
“The fortunate among us have recognized the hazards of living with an overabundance of food and have started to shift our diets. But most of us do not yet understand that news is to the mind what sugar is to the body.”
I tend to agree. I was then really struck by this graphic…
..and her suggestion that too much news leaves us informed but not knowledgeable. Knowledge is relational and a lot of news coverage feels atomising.
It also reminded me of this little diagram:
This originated at the Rand Corporation. They are thinking of energy grids, but it carries over to other networks. I apply it to meetings, where people often stick to A or B and avoid C, but C can often be the most engaging because it’s more human and more relational – though easily dismissed as mere gossip by those who prefer a more hierarchical form.