If You’re Wondering If I’m Defending Trump, You’re Missing the Point
No, I’m not defending Trump. But I am questioning how the media operates—and why we’re not getting the whole truth from anyone.
I’m Not a Trump Fan. I’m Not a Trump Hater. I’m Just Paying Attention.
I’m not a Trump fan. I’m not a Trump hater. I’m not a Democrat. Not a Republican. I don’t even know what party I belong to anymore.
I believe in universal basic income, free healthcare, housing for those in need, and capitalism—when it works without crushing people. I support law enforcement when it serves, but I also believe the human element is the core problem—in policing, in journalism, in almost everything public-facing.
And here's the thing: I wasn’t really a Biden fan either. But I feel like he got a raw deal. The media propped him up when it was convenient, pushed him along even when it was clear he might not be operating at his best—and then crucified him later, turning the same narrative machine against him. What was once "restoring dignity" became "diminishing capacity" almost overnight.
I’m not on a team. I’m just watching.
And something isn’t right.
The News Doesn’t Inform Anymore—it Overstimulates
Flip on News 12, ABC 7, NBC 4—or read Times Union or any number of local online outlets. You’ll see the same pattern:
Murder, car crash, panic alert
Police blotters published almost word-for-word
“Developing” stories that never get developed
Headlines that exist purely to bait a click
More and more, these outlets function like automated aggregators, not investigative journalists. They republish law enforcement reports, regurgitate press releases, and rely on syndicated wire content with zero local accountability.
And let’s be honest—most people aren’t even turning on a TV. They’re scrolling.
Local news on Facebook. Aggregated headlines on Twitter. Low-effort clickbait wrapped in outrage.
No matter how you consume it, the effect is the same: you’re flooded with chaos, and starved for clarity.
A 2022 Gallup poll discovered that American trust in newspapers and TV news hit record lows—driven by bias, frustration with clickbait tactics, and lack of transparency.
Meanwhile, medical research is clear: excessive news exposure triggers anxiety and despair. One study found just 14 minutes of news reporting can elevate depression and stress. (Psychiatric Times) Another documented how news exposure during the COVID‑19 crisis led to lingering general worry—not just momentary reactions. (NIH/PMC)
This is not harmless. The constant exposure impacts mental health profoundly.
Watching the News Is Toxic to Your Brain—and Body
Do you doomscroll at night? You’re not alone—and you’re not okay. “Doomscrolling” is a compulsion to consume bad‑news feeds endlessly, driven by a fear of missing out and negativity bias. It's linked to chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and even physical ailments—from high cortisol to inflamed skin. (Wikipedia: Doomscrolling, Daily Beast, Grow Therapy)
What about "mean world syndrome"? That's the sense that the world is more dangerous than it is—triggered by daily exposure to violence in media, leaving us paranoid rather than prepared. (Wikipedia: Mean World Syndrome)
And then there's vicarious trauma, where just viewing traumatic news content can impact mental health like experiencing the trauma firsthand. (Wikipedia: Vicarious Trauma)
In short: the news doesn’t just inform—it rewires you. And rarely for the better.
Trump Didn’t Break Journalism. He Just Exposed How Worn-Out It Was
Trump’s lawsuits against CNN, The Washington Post, ABC and others aren’t just diva moves—they speak to something larger. Some audiences dismiss him as “thin-skinned,” but when major outlets settle defamation cases rather than fight, it raises questions.
CNN’s fake Nazi comparison, ABC’s misreporting, even late-night brawls with Jimmy Kimmel—these aren’t small potatoes. Why settle if you’re confident in your narrative? (Reuters, Politico, Rolling Stone)
These clashes aren’t about Trump’s ego. They illustrate that the media establishment has become vulnerable—and defensive.
The System Broke Before Trump Did
The decline of journalism began earlier. The Smith–Mundt Act amendment in 2013 allowed U.S.-produced government messaging to be directed back at Americans—effectively legitimizing homegrown propaganda. (Foreign Policy)
Combined with dwindling newsroom resources, this led to a new era: storytelling shaped by PR, advertisers, algorithmic attention—never by public accountability. Cardiff University researchers noted how shrinking budgets and pressure led reporters to rely on press releases instead of investigation. (Cardiff University)
Sensationalism Killed Ethics (Remember Princess Diana?)
Paparazzi chased Diana to her death. Media coverage exploded. But very few outlets took responsibility—they blamed her, recast the tragedy as inevitability. This match of tragedy with chasing cameras became the model. Stories that should have been investigative turned into spectacles.
My own experience—losing someone in an accident and watching the media report it before I was even notified—underscored this: clicks outrank compassion. Families across America have been blindsided by headlines about their own grief. The system fails them before they can even mourn.
Journalism Has an Ethics Gap—Hiring Without Moral Screening
Ever read a job ad for a newsroom that includes an ethics and moral-character interview? Me neither.
We vet credentials, education, social reach—but we never ask: “Do you value truth over PR? Will you challenge advertisers if needed? Do you serve the public, not the sponsor?”
That gap—the acceptance of ethics as optional—is now apparent in every misreported story, every retracted headline, every narrative built on sponsored spin.
The AI Fix—If We Don’t Screw It Up
It sounds dystopian—AI fixing journalism. But consider this:
An AI watchdog that flags unverified headlines
A system that tracks story follow-up—did they return to the original event?
Ethics-screening tools for sensitive roles
Surveillance tech to watch the watchers, not the public
Used ethically—and overseen by humans trained to value integrity—AI could restore consistency to broken systems.
Because right now, algorithms reward emotion louder than reason. If we replace emotion with audited clarity… we might salvage what’s left of journalism.
Final Thought—Hold the Candle, Not the Clickbait
This isn’t about politics or personalities. It’s about the corrosion of truth, not because of Trump or Biden, but because of systems built to sell grievance, not to serve the public.
We deserve better: journalism that follows up. Ethics that aren’t optional. Systems transparent enough that settling lawsuits doesn’t become easier than defending facts.
If institutions won’t fix themselves, it’s time we held the light.
