That simple sentence can be read two ways: first, the absence of any news means that at least there’s no bad news; but alternatively, it could mean that there is news but none of it is good. Unfortunately, the second circumstance is the one we most frequently encounter in newspapers, TV broadcasts, and onine. Doom and gloom prevail. If it’s good, it’s just not news.

Since I am admittedly a news junkie, I recently began a second series of blog posts I call “Extras” (concurrent with my “Reflections”), briefly commenting on bits and pieces of the news of the day. And I have found — not surprisingly — that there’s not much to write about that isn’t depressing or downright frightening. And then I remembered: CNN has a column called “CNN’s Good Stuff,” printed online every Saturday and featuring stories about the more pleasant, cheerful, often heartwarming side of life. It’s a delightful departure from the norm, and I decided to refer to it this morning for inspiration.

But wait a minute! Is this the best they could come up with today, from the whole of last week? Two articles about Barbie; the story of an AI program that tried to follow crochet instructions and didn’t do so well; a recommendation of some off-the-beaten-track national parks; one nice story about a couple who met in a chocolate shop in Brussels 40 years ago and are still married; and — most interesting of all, but ultimately depressing — the tale of a sea otter who is going to be relocated as soon as they can catch it because it dares to snatch the surfboards from people who are intruding upon its watery home in the first place. (I’m rooting for the otter.)

Then, reading to the bottom of the column, I see that CNN is “opening the floor” to readers for their “heartwarming” real-life stories so that CNN can “spread the positive news.” And I’m thinking: OMG, they’ve actually run out of good stuff to write about and are reaching out for help! The well is dry. There is no joy in Mudville . . . or anywhere else, apparently. Life officially sucks.

But hopefully not. I’m basically a realist, which means that I have a dual personality: both optimist and pessimist, ideally in fairly equal proportions. So I’ll try again next Saturday, and see how successful CNN’s search for good news turns out to be. And maybe I’ll even try to submit an uplifting item myself . . . if I can come up with anything. Maybe the otter will outsmart the people who want to evict it. Wish me (and the otter) luck.

Brendochka
7/15/23