Want good old days? It’s not the draft. Choose more responsible sources of information

A recent writer yearns for years past when things were so much better. I am pretty sure that things were not that much better years ago; but, in any case, the past won’t be back anytime soon.

Many of us long for more decency in human behavior — something that his suggestion of a universal military draft probably wouldn’t affect. Many of us already behave decently toward others. But some of us solicit too much negative input from irresponsible TV and/or radio, Facebook and/or Twitter, where incendiary devices masquerade as news.

“Negative” and “emotion-laden” events are blown out of proportion, repeated, and waved like proverbial red flags in front of us. We react! Our engagement with media nonsense sells their products and degrades our discourse. (Are our friends part of the problem?)

We could choose more responsible sources of information. We can refuse to watch, listen, and repeat the “junk” until irresponsible stations improve their broadcasting, and social media cleans up its act. (Maybe even our friends could change their tunes.)

Everyone who cares about human decency could read more, watch and listen less, and practice the kindness and universal respect that the writer believes he remembers. This present time could be as rosy as the past might appear, depending on our actions.

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 8:15 PM with the headline "Want good old days? It’s not the draft. Choose more responsible sources of information."