Growing Up with the News: Learning to Question What I Hear

When I was growing up, watching the news was a part of my daily routine. My dad always had the remote, and the moment he switched the channel to the news, I would sit beside him, curious about what was happening in the world. At the time, I didn’t have much control over what was on TV. I didn’t pick the news myself, but whenever it was on, I paid attention. There was something about seeing the images on the screen and hearing the reporters talk that made me feel connected to events beyond my home, my neighborhood, and my school.

Back then, I didn’t question much of what I saw or heard on the news. I trusted that everything they reported was true. After all, it was on TV, so it had to be right, didn’t it? My dad never expressed any doubt either, so I thought that was just how the news worked – they told you the facts, and you believed them.

But as I grew older and started watching the news on my own, things began to change. I didn’t wait for my dad to turn on the TV anymore. I started paying attention to what was happening in the world on my own time, especially with everything going on these days – from politics to climate change to major global events.

However, I don’t watch the news the same way I did as a kid. I’ve learned that not everything on the news is the absolute truth, and this realization hit me hard. Sometimes, I notice how different news channels report the same story in completely different ways. One channel might talk about something like it’s a huge disaster, while another barely mentions it. Or they’ll focus on certain details and leave out others, and that makes me wonder: What are they not telling us? Are they hiding things on purpose?

That’s when I started to doubt. I no longer take everything at face value. Instead, I try to look deeper. If something doesn’t sit right with me, or if a story seems one-sided, I go online and read more about it. I’ll check different sources, even social media, to see what people are saying. Sometimes, I’ll listen to podcasts or watch videos from independent reporters who aren’t connected to big news networks. I also talk to friends and family, because hearing other people’s opinions often helps me understand things from different angles.

It’s frustrating, though, because you want to trust the news. It’s supposed to give you the facts, but sometimes it feels like they’re leaving out the most important parts or pushing their own agendas. It makes me feel a bit lost at times. I don’t want to become a person who believes in conspiracy theories, but I also don’t want to be someone who blindly trusts everything they hear.

So now, when I watch the news, I watch with a critical mind. I still want to know what’s happening in the world, but I don’t just accept everything at face value. I question, I research, and I talk to others. I think that’s the only way to truly understand what’s going on. It’s not easy, but I think it’s important. After all, if we don’t seek the truth for ourselves, who will?