Trump. Epstein. ICE. Murder. Accident. Cartel. AI. Corruption. School shooting.

These are the words and phrases that come up when I try, and even when I don’t try, to read and consume news media. 

So it’s no surprise that, according to Pew Research, about 33% of young adults often or extremely often feel scared or confused by the news. Similarly, according to another Pew Research study, 46% of all Americans often or extremely often feel angered, 38% saddened, 27% scared, and 25% confused by the news.

While I know not to expect the news to be a source of dopamine hits, I would still hope there would be at least one slightly good thing that gets proper news coverage, and I’m not talking about sports or the Grammys. 

For once, I’d like to open The New York Times (NYT) and see a headline like “Elderly woman saves neighbor’s cat from rabid dog.” But it’s safe to say that won’t happen.

Now would be the time when someone might say that the negativity in the news stems from “crime is getting worse” or “people are overwhelmingly undereducated and making poor decisions,” but that’s simply not true. 

According to the Council on Criminal Justice, crime rates (11 of 13 measured) have decreased from 2024 to 2025; 9 of the 13 have decreased by 10% or more, and this trend is predicted to persist. Additionally, according to Statista, educational attainment rates are the highest they have ever been in the U.S., with 91.4% of the population having at least a high school diploma and 38.7% having a college education.

Okay, so then, whatever the reason for all this depressing media, given that people are often unhappy with the news, why do they still consume it? Is America simply a country of masochists?

My guess would be that no, this isn’t a country that wants to bring mental pain onto itself. Rather, we simply live in a time when the news is widely accessible compared to the past and is often shoved down our throats. Whether it’s a news subscription to the NYT, social media, the ABC7 News channel, or a lunchtime conversation with friends that feeds you the current events.

And if the choice really comes down to it, isn’t it better to have a country full of sad, educated people rather than a bunch of happy idiots? I think so. But I also think there is a third, more difficult choice that involves a good balance of the two.

It’s very much possible to stay informed and be happy. You can read, watch, or listen to the news to acknowledge the realities of the world we live in. But then, you must be able to close that tab and get back to your real life.

It can also be helpful to bring that knowledge into your daily life in a positive way, whether that means attending a protest, wearing defiant clothing, or making another small but meaningful change that helps you feel like you’re making a difference and coping.