October 31, 2020
U.S. news is more exciting but why should I care?
My news-cation comes to an end tomorrow, but not completely. I'll continue my detox from world news. I'm not yet ready to stomach whatever is going on in the United States.
Speaking of which, I have long wondered why many Canadians use U.S. networks such as CNN as their primary source of news. How do they know what's going on in their own country? Why do they care about events in a foreign country that have no effect on them?
I suspect it might be the same reason many Canadians prefer the NFL over the CFL. It's more entertaining.
The U.S. news consists of one major crisis after another. You can't help but wonder what crazy thing is going to happen next. And because it doesn't affect us, we can behave like bloodthirsty spectators at a wrestling match.
Political debates consist of little more than opponents shouting over each other. You learn precious little, but they can be fun to watch.
Aside from that, what transpires is on a scale Canadians cannot match. American outdo us at every turn, from COVID-19 deaths to mass shootings. It makes our news seem sedate.
So powerful is the influence of U.S. news that Canadians will organize protests over events that happen there. The George Floyd killing is a perfect example. While that death was undeniably a tragedy, there are plenty of injustices happening right here in our home and native land. When was the last time there were nationwide protests over the treatment of Indigenous people that included non-Indigenous Canadians? Outright racist behaviour in this country is excused and nuanced.
Despite this, I will again be tuning into Canadian news when my news-cation ends. For one thing the toxicity levels are more bearable. For another, it affects me as a citizen. I can get involved, I can cast a ballot.