Why would you expect there to be medical evidence that speaks to being happier after giving up reading news?
I don't think you are entitled to expect that. Medical studies don't tend to focus on the happiness of healthy people. Even if they did, I would be surprised if a good study giving us data on happiness on reading news already exist at a scale that would represent the range of population behaviour.
I don't disagree with you wanting good scientific evidence - that's commendable.
I disagree with calling baloney on a sensible hypothesis ('reading news as a typical Westerner does is detrimental to overall happiness for most people') just because that scientific evidence does not yet exist and this opinion piece does not yet provide it.
Bias alert: I'm pretty sure I read to much news, and am solidifying this meme in my mind to try to improve that.
I don't think you are entitled to expect that. Medical studies don't tend to focus on the happiness of healthy people. Even if they did, I would be surprised if a good study giving us data on happiness on reading news already exist at a scale that would represent the range of population behaviour.
I don't disagree with you wanting good scientific evidence - that's commendable.
I disagree with calling baloney on a sensible hypothesis ('reading news as a typical Westerner does is detrimental to overall happiness for most people') just because that scientific evidence does not yet exist and this opinion piece does not yet provide it.
Bias alert: I'm pretty sure I read to much news, and am solidifying this meme in my mind to try to improve that.