Media wants your attention. You’re getting value too, but mostly it cares about the attention. We’re well informed, but there’s also all these other side effects. I have illustrated them here:

This is unhealthy. Readers are flattened into the need to be informed and entertained, ignoring the rest of the self. Media companies are finding fresh ways to create value by taking into account more of the reader’s needs. Recently there have been inspiring examples of media that wants to take care of you. This is something we really need in the world right now.

Girls Night In is a newsletter for women that arrives every Friday morning with self-care tips, making it feel okay to stay in and take care of yourself. #100DaysofAndNotOr by katie zhu is a series that explores “the seemingly opposing facets of life, relationships, and identity” and in many ways is immenself validating and illuminating of personal experiences.

Last year I wrote about zines, a format that is rich with material on care. A few highlights I’ve found over the year including Couldn’t Afford Therapy by Lawrence Lindell and A Guide to Writing Yourself by Victoria Emanuela and Caitlin Metz.

Anecdotally, it feels as if The New York Times’ Smarter Living has been appearing more frequently on the homepage. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case: It’s an important balance to everything we’re reading in the news. Look at this stunning animation.

To inform readers means to also support readers’ care for themselves. In 2019, we’ll have more: