The Fact Is Fiction. Reading the News and #GE17

I may be busy, it is depressing, but I always make some time to read the news.  Particularly now we've a General Election coming up.  I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am at the thought of all other government issues - welfare, healthcare, education, law and order, defence, tax etc - being swamped by Brexit: The Re-Run:

• Tory - Vote for the Brexit negotiating position outlined in the White Paper earlier this year.

• Labour - Vote for a Brexit negotiating position yet to be written, but likely to be softer than the one in the Tory White Paper.

• Lib Dem - Vote to stay in the EU.  Or at least, the Single Market. 

• UKIP - We want all the Brexit!  And we want it now!  With a knighthood for Farage to go ...

• Greens - Vote to stay in the EU while protecting the environment.  (Sadly, not viable where I live.  I'm voting for someone with a fighting chance of unseating our local MP). 

• SNP - Vote for IndyRef2 and a place in the queue for EU membership (probably) if it's a win this time.  Or IndyRef3 if it isn't ...  (Other Nationalist parties are available in other parts of the country). 

If you're not registered to vote on in  #GE17 8 June 2017, you have until 22 May 2017

Register to Vote

The above was written before the local election results, but still seems fair enough.  And now, having got my (fairly restrained) general election rant out of the way, back to the rest of this post ... Here's some music while you read.  Switchfoot's "Selling the News":

Being informed, having an opinion and being able to give a reason for it and contribute to discussions about what's going on in our world ... It's worth making the time.  If you want to be better informed about global goings on, then this might be of interest to you too.

Mainstream media

Lots of my friends don't trust "mainstream media", preferring to get their news from Facebook, Twitter, niche blogs etc.  Whilst some news sources have disappeared down the clickbait rabbit hole, more interested in pushing their own agendas and selling rather than telling the news, I'm staying mainstream. I'd sooner get my information from a broadsheet - Guardian, Independent, Telegraph. (I'd add the Times and the FT to that list as well, but they have paywalls and I'm a skinflint).  They have an agenda, but also an acquaintance with fact-checking and legal niceties.  I've signed up for emails so I start the day with a summary of key stories I scan on the bus.  The BBC app is also good for a quick scroll.  

I also like watching current affairs shows like Have I Got News For You and The Last Leg.  But not Question Time.  I always end up shouting at the telly and putting money in the swear jar.  Or Newsnight.  I need the sleep.

Social Media

We're frequently told to "unfollow people who upset you on social media".  Good advice, but the danger of doing that is ending up in a bubble of like minded people.  Which means election results etc can come as a horrible surprise.  Who voted for that? Or, turning it around, who didn't vote for that?  People outside our circles on social media - that's who.  Different generation or class or ... Or people we know keeping quiet as they don't need the hassle.

I try not to delete people I disagree with as it doesn't make them go away.  It just means I'm not hearing alternative views to my own.  A discussion in which only one answer is possible sounds tedious, not to mention pointless. 

What do you think?  Do you follow the news?  Do you get rid of people from your social media feed you disagree with instantly?  You're also welcome to talk about the election, but please, keep it  constructive.  Ta v m.