Information Overload

I've been back in the States for a week. On some level, I wish I had missed this week, given the heart-wrenching Terri Schiavo situation. Couple that with the loss of John Paul II, and this has really been an emotional seven days. One thing my trip to Costa Rica made me realize is that I suffer from information overload, and frankly, most of the information I digest isn't of a very positive nature. There's not much that can be done about this, as I've never been one to be "out of the loop" news-wise, even as a kid. On the other hand, all of this information doesn't help one's morale all that much. And no, it isn't as if I specifically seek out negative news. It is merely that the majority of news that is out there is of a negative nature. Also, I'm almost at wit's end with the infinite political discourse that swirls around all of us on a day-to-day basis. Between Fox, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, and CNBC, I think I've had my fill of political debate for quite some time. Now, it isn't that politics at this point in our history are more divisive than ever. American politics has always been raw, going back to the Washington Administration. (Sidenote: During Washington's second term, Jefferson and Madison ghostwrote scathing editorials in both the National Gazette and the Aurora newspapers, accusing Washington of either being "a senile accomplice, or being a willing co-conspirator in the plot to establish a Hamiltonian monarchy".) The United States isn't any more polarized than ever before, for it has always been polarized. But that's not really the point. What is the point is that it can grind you down, all these debates, discussions, arguments, etc. And while I certainly was aware of this prior to taking off for Central America a few weeks back, it has become much more apparent to me now. When you contrast the peace of walking in a rain forest, the smiles and laughter of your travelling companions, the adrenaline of moving at 20 mph down 200 yards of cable whilst suspended 250 ft. above a jungle, or observing a toucan in flight, with the knockdown, drag-out debate over the some political issue of the day, you realize what is good in the world, and what is not. We can't have a society without vigorous debate about anything and everything, for it is the benchmark of our democratic society. But sometimes...this time...I wish everyone would just shut the fuck up.