Other folks have called it a "media fast". It's actually a good stress reliever. Whenever I'm anxious or stressed about something, I don't read world or national news.
I also got really stressed reading through Ted Kaczynski's Technological Slavery and just had to put it down. The ideas were really compelling, but they're just really heavy and clearly asking for distroy-all-technology like the beginning of A Canticle for Leibowitz style. Interestingly enough, he mentioned the possibility of a new technological age rising out of the ashes of the grand plan anyway, but it ain't his concern. I really wonder if he's ever read Canticle. He should. Maybe it's not available in his prison. Anyway yes, insightful, but stressful!
I tend to get stressed by a lot of the nonfiction I pick out, which explains why I read a lot more fiction. Although some fiction will obviously lead you to not feeling much better. E.g. Canticle.
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