Personal News Habit

Comparing Global News vs. Pet Content

I’ve been bouncing between mainstream cable news and YouTube channels like Tousi TV and Decoding China lately. It’s a wild contrast: cable is obsessed with the abduction case in Tucson, while YouTube is diving deep into the crises in Iran and China.

Independent Media: A Mixed Bag

Both YouTube channels claim to be "independent," but they feel very different:

• Decoding China: To be honest, this one often feels like science fiction. Their funding and origins are a bit murky, and they cite The Epoch Times constantly, which makes me take their reports with a grain of salt.

• Tousi TV: This feels much more grounded. Mahyar Tousi is of Iranian ancestry, so his perspective feels personal and transparent. He clearly wants to see the ouster of the current regime and the rise of free elections in Iran.

After my daily fix of international "missives," I usually pivot to Jakkupome—a YouTube channel centered on a Pomeranian of the same name. Switching from geopolitical collapse to a fluffy dog feels a lot like "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic," but it’s a necessary break for the soul.

The Daily Reality Check

Watching these feels like a heavy dose of schadenfreude from the comfort of my home in the U.S. But there is only so much global turmoil one can take.