News & Information Sources

 Decision paralysis occurs when an individual is presented with options and they cannot decide between them, so they either choose a third option or do nothing at all. Today will millions of news sources and a very politically polarized nation, many can feel decision paralysis. I have tried to cultivate a list of news sources for myself that I find reliable and the least biased I could. 

The news source I use most frequently would have to be Instagram. Here, individuals, businesses, organizations, and news outlets can post their ideas, beliefs, updates, etc. On Instagram, I follow people I have met before or people I have mutual connections with. 

A lot of these people post about news, events, and their political beliefs. This exposes me to multiple sides of one story. I would rather have discussions with people and hear individual opinions than get biased stories from political organizations. 

My second most used news source would have to be The Daily Wire, via Youtube. The Daily Wire is a right-leaning news website and media company, launched in 2015 by Ben Shapiro. They release podcasts, YouTube videos, documentaries, and articles. 

I stumbled upon this news source while browsing YouTube. I particularly listen to Brett Cooper who is a 22-year-old girl who has a YouTube channel through the Daily Wire, as well as a podcast. I enjoy listening to Brett because she is around my age, and she takes politics seriously but has fun with her videos and podcasts. For me, she is easier to relate to and listen to than someone older than me. 

I am currently a Legal Studies Minor at High Point University, so I am enrolled in law classes. In these law classes, such as this one, we often discuss current events relating to politics and law. This educates me on current happenings and where the law comes into play. I am able to learn about politics from an unbiased point of view, as most professors do not want to state their political affiliation. 

These classes as a news source will be useful in my political literacy as I advance in my career.

As many humans, I have a close group of friends and family whom I am in constant communication with. I make my best effort to surround myself with likeminded people in values, but have a diverse group of ideas and opinions (especialluy political). This group consists of my immediate family (mostly right wing) and my friends (made up of a rough 50/50 split of political views). 

These people challange my ideas and opinions in a friendly and caring way, as I do theirs. This forces me to rethink my ideas and ask myself the 'why?'. Why do I believe what I do? Am I blindly following these beliefs or did I come to this conclusion on my own?

My final news source is WCVB Channel 5 Boston. This is my local news station when I am home on breaks and during the summer. This news station is on every morning in my household. They often report only on local news stories. These stories are often about education, politics, weather, and local stories. This keeps me in the know about local happenings so I can better vote for local officials, make daily decisions, and hold conversations with others.