I stopped reading the news, it changed my life, and how it can change yours.

I will cover the following objections during this short essay:

• reading the news is being a good citizen (and we need more of those)
• reading the news helps me to feel smarter and aware of the world
• reading the news is mandatory for my work / studies
• you are just lazy
• you are selfish

Let's see the main disadvantages of reading the news

1. Takes time
2. Is 99% (random number, could be 72.3% to be more serious) useless
3. It stops you from being happy

In itself the 3rd point should be more than enough to convince you. (About why is happiness so important, read my previous articles on the absurd, And I recently reconsidered this: read Brave New World and you'll see that happiness isn't always good).

On the 2nd it is inherent to the business model of media and news itself. Like any other company, they need money and for that they sell you their print, and for that purpose their titles are over the top to intrigue you into buying it. When in reality the next day, none of what happened will matter. If it's free, then they sell ads so the same rule applies. What they call "Breaking News" tell your brain that you should absolutely now. You know what? Stop living for a second, read about how exactly celebrity X cheated on politician Y.

Even after all that you might think that I am just too lazy to read the news and I favour writing a 300 word blog post about why I shouldn't read the news. It could be, but personally no. Even in pure laziness times I was still searching for news on X, Youtube or social media.

Is it selfish not to follow the news?

In short: yes.
News makes you aware of the world not only surrounding you and your little selfish interests but the whole globe and it's living species. What about populations bombarded in a war, homeless people in your own country, what about them?
I could say I don't give a damn but the truth is:
How reading about a crisis helps to solve it? It only moves you emotionally often in a detrimental way.

You'll never be an honorable citizen

If you don't get updated on the news of your government decisions by independent third parties, you can be manipulated.
For that I have two answers:

1. Tell me, now almost everyone has access to instant information of the whole world at all times, all dictatorships have disappeared right?
2. Your acquaintances will tell you the paramount news, so your friends become human filter of trash news. (So it is really individualistic not to read the news because I expect others to read them)

What should I do then?

Now that you freed some priceless time, if you want to use it for the wellness of others, then good for you.
Chose a problem and try to solve it: join a non profit, a company, whatever. In brief, be impactful.

Or if you don't really care about the rest of the world because reading news was just another way of wasting your time that you hid behind some superior moral motive, then go on with life.