My Guilty Pleasure

I am fascinated with what I termed “newsette”. It is not the hard hitting news of economics and politics that can affect all of our lives. These stories may or may not influence me on a personal level depending on my choice to change or not. I thought that what I follow so closely needed a new term to describe it.

But, truth be told, I have become a tabloid news junkie. While I don’t buy the papers or magazines, thanks to CNN's TMZ and Headline News and the feeds from news outlets on twitter, I get notified of breaking stories and updates almost instantly.

And what kind of stories do I devour and research further on the web? They are the sensational, social and/or feel good items, like criminal behavior, hookups, breakups, and deaths. Sometimes it takes place on a personal level and sometimes it plays out in a court room. It is the news of the human condition that feeds the voyeur in me.

What is the siren’s call of what has been called "gutter press"?

1. Logic. I try to figure out the mystery or look for inconsistencies in the stories.

2. A superficial moral barometer. I observes how we treat each other and the dynamics of relationships. I then measure myself against the actions of others. Am I capable of treating others that way or taking that action? Is my answer a good thing?

3. Gossip. I love it, because I like to know things. Not to use over another to further an end. I just like to know every detail.

And, now I want to know what you think.