Imagine the morning routine of a typical American during an election season. She wakes up at 6:24 AM and immediately grabs her iPhone. Unconsciously, she opens her favorite social media app and begins scrolling. Through blurry eyes, she sees countless political memes and posts. Next, she goes for a run while listening to a political podcast. When she gets home, she flips on cable news and gets ready for the day. Meanwhile, her phone lights up with several notifications from her favorite news apps. Then, while eating breakfast, she checks Twitter again and is bombarded with information. Finally, she heads out the door for work.
This scenario illustrates our unprecedented access to information through social media and news media. And really, this access to information is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because we need to understand the world around us so that we can be educated voters. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.” But of course, the pervasiveness of modern media can also be a curse—a black hole that eats up our time and energy while leaving us tired and angry.
Media consumption can be addictive and dangerous for mental and spiritual health. So, here’s my question for this article: How can we be informed citizens during an election season without letting news media or social media control our lives? Well, let me suggest five “rules” for engaging with media during an election season:
First, stop scrolling and start cherry-picking.
How often do you open Facebook or Twitter to simply scroll through your feed? You see memes and political posts from your friends. You see shocking videos and brilliant insights. You learn a lot about the world while simultaneously feeling angry, anxious, and disgusted. Therefore, I encourage you to stop scrolling. If it helps, delete all social media apps from your phone and start using your browser instead. Don’t let the algorithms of Facebook and Twitter determine what you see on a given day, especially when you first wake up.
Rather, start cherry-picking. For example, determine how many minutes (or hours) you want to spend each day on social media. Then, pick a few friends and organizations to follow (hint: don’t just follow those who agree with you). Go straight to their pages and read what they have to say. This method helps you reap the benefits of modern platforms without “Tech Giants” controlling your experience through impersonal algorithms; it can transform social media from a time-wasting addiction into a useful tool.
Second, stop posting and start praying.
Social media posts often become a cathartic form of self-expression rather than anything useful to others. Therefore, I encourage you to stop posting on social media. And if that’s too hard, at least limit the number of times you post each day. Instead, focus on prayer.
If you see an offensive comment and feel the urge to respond, take time to breathe, pray, and reflect. And if you still feel called to engage, consider the most effective method. Can you send a private message? Can you call them on the phone? Can you meet up for a socially distanced coffee? In other words, is posting on social media the most effective way to engage? If not, look for something better.
Third, stop watching and start reading.
If you stop scrolling through social media, you may be tempted to flip on the television to watch cable news. But I highly recommend that you stop watching the news. There is something about visual mediums that favor the sensational over the thoughtful. Searching for ratings, they love segments where people yell at each other for hours. And though this chaos may be entertaining, it’s also dangerous for mental health.
Therefore, I recommend seeking out news in written form. There are great news websites where you can delve deep into issues. But I also recommend subscribing to an old fashion print newspaper or news magazine. I know I sound like a Luddite, but there is something wonderful about having a finite number of articles to digest each day. Plus, it’s easier to read long, detailed articles in printed form.
Fourth, stop indulging and start curating.
Media can be a lot like food. It’s easy to choose entertaining, partisan pundits who confirm all of our preconceived notions. But like candy, they taste great without being beneficial for long-term mental or spiritual health.
Therefore, I recommend curating your media consumption, which doesn’t mean only choosing new sources that agree with you. Instead, try to select a “well-balanced diet” of news and analysis from differing perspectives.
For example, as a Christian pastor, here’s how I curate my media consumption (I go outside these sources, but they represent my primary news diet):
1. A good local news source. I follow Chadds Ford Live and a great podcast called Today in PA.
2. A general news source from a Christian worldview perspective. I love World Magazine, and their accompanying podcast called The World and Everything in It. According to their own self-description, “WORLD produces sound journalism, grounded in facts and biblical truth. Through print magazines, online articles, and podcast programs, our trained journalists report on current events both global and national so that readers and listeners can see how God is at work in the world, no matter the headlines.”
3. A general news source from a secular perspective. Though generally viewed as more politically conservative than the New York Times, I have always been impressed with the Wall Street Journal. Since they present facts to investors who are making real-life decisions, they often seem less speculative and more rigorous in their vetting and fact-checking process. Plus, they offer a wide range of stories on everything from the news to art and entertainment (As a runner up, I also enjoy the Global News Podcast from the BBC).
4. Opinion and commentary from differing perspectives. I listen to several podcasts that feature analysis from individuals who aren’t pretending to be non-biased. For example, I enjoy a podcast called The Briefing by Al Mohler. As the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he picks out news articles from major papers to analyze from a Christian perspective. It couldn’t be my only news source, but his insights are still useful.
Fifth, know thyself.
Maybe you can endure a constant influx of angry social media posts and sensational cable news segments. But in general, look for ways to take control of your media consumption so that you can focus on what’s most important—love. St. Augustine said that all true theology should tend toward the love of God and the love of neighbor. It’s the same with media consumption. We should be informed citizens of a democratic republic. But we should also be loving, gentle, and kind to people who disagree with us. So let’s all take a breath, tone down the rhetoric, step away from sensational media, and pray. And after we pray, let’s look for concrete ways to love ALL our neighbors this election season.