I avoid it as much as I can. I’m not a fan of the outrage addiction, and I’m highly suspicious of gaining any reliable information about events from an echo-chamber, even if it’s on “my side” of the political spectrum.

In my eyes, there is no avoiding politics. Ignorance is bliss, knowledge is power, and choosing ignorance means choosing to ignore something that directly affects you. I feel I need to know what’s happening in politics, so I can know when and how I can be most effective with direct action. Part of understanding what I see in the news also requires an in-depth understanding of history and other seemingly innocuous news stories, so I have the appropriate historical knowledge to understand how and why it affects politics. Staying informed also protects me from being manipulated by politicians and the specific news I consume.