Watching could be hazardous to our health. Since the dawn of time, humans have constructed a quilt of community understanding out of new information. In a world of information scarcity, messenger-journalists performed the vital community service of acquiring and transmitting fresh data. This sentiment was echoed by Adolph Ochs when he bought The New York Times in 1896. Then information came into abundance.
Data is now so plentiful that consumers face the curious hazard of information glut.
We cannot keep up with the information we produce. In this context, new information becomes more of a diversion than a contribution to society. Today's challenge is to manage the vast quantities of information we already have stored up. News is not, of course, completely irrelevant. But the value of daily updates will pale in comparison to information we already have on hand - how to feed and clothe ourselves, fight pestilence, and govern ourselves using a balance of strict laws and broad liberties.