How to Be Smarter About the News | TED Explains the World with Ian Bremmer

The Decline of Trust in Public Media

• The topic of trust in public sources of information and analysis is being discussed, with the goal of understanding how to be smarter about the news 10s.
• Public sources of information are becoming less trustworthy, with even reputable newspapers like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal having politicized reporting, although the Financial Times is still considered to have good and objective news coverage 2m6s.
• To get a more well-rounded view of global events, it's helpful to consume media from outside the US, such as NHK from Japan, Deutsche Welle from Germany, the CBC from Canada, the BBC from the UK, and Al Jazeera from the Middle East, as they have different biases and world views 4m30s.
• These international media outlets are often less structurally biased than American media, particularly those from Germany and Japan, and can provide a fresh perspective on global events 5m20s.

Alternative Media and International Perspectives

• In addition to traditional media, social media platforms like Twitter can be a valuable source of information, with a carefully curated list of experts and thought leaders from a broad political spectrum providing a wealth of knowledge on important global issues 7m10s.
• Having a diverse and curated list of sources to follow on social media, rather than relying on an algorithm-driven feed, can help to provide a more comprehensive understanding of current events 8m40s.

Building Trust Through Relationships

• Building a relationship of trust with people involved in making important decisions takes a long time, often years, and involves providing value in return for the time they give, which is their most valuable asset 10s.
• To establish trust, it is essential to be someone who is useful to engage with, and to not have a driving political or commercial agenda, allowing for macro and big picture conversations that leaders appreciate but rarely have time for 42s.
• Writing a weekly update, as has been done for 28 years, can also help build trust, as long as the information shared is not directly attributed to the individual conversations, but rather informed by them, much like having a top secret clearance 2m6s.
• Consistently providing authentic, honest, and principled analysis and questions over a long period helps to build trust, even when mistakes are made, as it is how those mistakes are handled that matters 2m6s.
• Having a personal connection with someone who has grown in power and position over time can also contribute to building trust, as a pre-existing relationship can be beneficial in establishing a foundation for open and honest communication 2m6s.
• Building a network of relationships with various leaders and individuals is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the world, and this network cannot be substituted with anything else, including content and time 10s.

Recognizing and Avoiding Spin

• To avoid being spun, it is crucial to have a long-term relationship with someone, allowing for a better assessment of their track record and perspective, and understanding that everyone has a unique perspective shaped by their context and background 42s.
• Spinning occurs when someone tries to convince others of a specific point, often with relevance to a current or upcoming news event, and this can be identified when the information is not consistent with other data points or perspectives 1m6s.
• Having a broad set of relationships and connections with various leaders and individuals enables the ability to connect dots and understand the bigger picture, making it more difficult for any one person to spin or manipulate information 2m6s.
• A strong network of relationships can provide access to information and insights that may not be publicly available, but it is also important to consider multiple perspectives and filters to avoid being influenced by a single viewpoint or bias 3m30s.
• Journalists who rely heavily on a single individual leader or government for information can be limited in their understanding and analysis, even if they are skilled and professional, as they may only be seeing things from one perspective 5m20s.

The Role of Political Scientists and Alternative Media

• The media industry has undergone significant changes over the years, and as a result, people are at risk of being spun and exposed to a narrow worldview that does not accurately reflect global events 10s.
• A political scientist has a different credibility than a journalist, as their primary goal is to understand and analyze complex issues rather than break news or write stories 42s.
• The founder of GZero Media is a political scientist who has built relationships with world leaders and stakeholders, and believes that this approach has provided more trusted access than traditional journalism 2m6s.
• Fared Zakaria, a PhD in political science, is cited as an example of someone who has successfully transitioned from being a political scientist to a journalist, and has gained better access to world leaders due to his approach and expertise 4m10s.
• The founder's firm, Eurasia Group, which includes GZero Media, employs over 250 people, mostly political scientists, economists, and experts with other skill sets, who work to build relationships with leaders and stakeholders in their respective areas of expertise 6m20s.
• The approach of GZero Media, which focuses on in-depth analysis and context, is seen as more valuable than traditional journalism, which has become commoditized and less effective in providing access to world leaders and decision-makers 8m40s.

Internal Communication and Information Sharing

• The process of sharing information internally involves a morning meeting every day at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, where analysts present on issues they believe deserve attention, with between six and 15 topics prioritized from most important to least, and this meeting is essential for staying informed 10s.
• In addition to the morning meeting, there are also internal chats, including regular online chats and smaller, more sensitive groups, which provide real-time information and analysis from relevant experts around the world, and are especially useful for staying current on rapidly developing stories 42s.
• These internal chats are similar to the system used by the National Intelligence Council in the United States, and have been admired and emulated by other countries, including New Zealand and Canada, which have sought to model their own intelligence gathering and analysis on this approach 2m6s.
• The morning meeting and internal chats help to address the challenge of knowing what not to track, by providing a framework for prioritizing and focusing on the most important issues, and allowing participants to quickly get up to speed on the latest developments before meetings or other important events 10s.
• The system is flexible and adaptable, with participants able to join in remotely or in person, and with different offices around the world having their own ways of participating, such as London's tendency to gather in the boardroom, and is used by the organization to stay informed and ahead of the curve on major news stories 42s.

Prioritizing Global Conflicts and Risks

• There are approximately 60 conflicts happening around the world at any given moment, and it can be challenging to determine which ones to prioritize and treat as urgent 10s.
• To manage this, a methodology is used to rank risks on the basis of likelihood, imminence, and impact, with only the top 10 most consequential risks being considered, and a separate list of "herrings" that are perceived as important but are unlikely to have a significant impact 2m6s.
• The likelihood of a risk is assessed based on how probable it is to occur, with more likely events being considered more impactful, and the imminence of a risk is also taken into account, as getting the timing wrong can have significant consequences 4m6s.
• The impact of a risk is also evaluated, with consideration given to how it will affect the global community, and examples are given of how certain events, such as those in Iran and Russia-Ukraine, receive more attention due to their potential to affect global food supplies and European countries 6m30s.
• In contrast, conflicts in countries like Sudan receive relatively little attention, despite having significant humanitarian impacts, due to their limited geopolitical and economic implications for other countries 8m40s.
• The approach to evaluating risks is based on the understanding that not all human beings are valued equally in terms of their importance, and that the world's structure and priorities are influenced by factors such as geopolitics, economics, and human flows 10m40s.
• As a result, more time is spent on analyzing and addressing the risks that are likely to have the most significant impact on the state of the world and how humanity is governed, develops, or fails 12m20s.

Navigating News and Media Consumption

• To be smarter about the news, it is essential to recognize that some headlines are meant to be salacious and distract from more important issues, and to focus on relevant stories, such as significant geopolitical decisions, rather than getting caught up in sensationalized news 10s.
• Understanding that long-term, Trump is a symptom and not the cause of the geopolitical recession, and that many of the things he tries to do ultimately fail, can help reduce the volume and noise of the news and allow for a more nuanced understanding of current events 42s.
• Recognizing that everyone has biases and being aware of one's own biases is crucial to being effective in understanding international relations and making informed decisions about what news to take on and what to ignore 2m6s.
• It is also important to understand what you are good at and what you are not, and to recognize that being thoughtful and considered on a range of issues does not mean being an expert on every issue, and it is okay to acknowledge and set aside personal biases in order to approach a topic objectively 2m6s.
• Being able to separate personal feelings and biases from objective analysis is a key skill for understanding complex issues, and it may take time and self-reflection to develop this ability, as illustrated by the example of Armenia and the need to approach the topic with objectivity 2m6s.
• To avoid having a strong emotional reaction to the news, it is essential to recognize areas where personal biases may exist and limit time spent on those topics, as they can reinforce existing beliefs rather than provide new insights 10s.
• When setting up a social media feed for news, it is advisable to avoid following experts who specialize in topics where one has a strong bias, as this can lead to confirmation bias and hinder the ability to consider alternative perspectives 42s.
• Longer-form content is more effective for understanding complex issues, as it allows for a more in-depth discussion and analysis, which cannot be adequately conveyed in short sound bites or tweets 2m6s.
• Young people are capable of engaging with long-form content, but they often consume it in different ways, such as through podcasts, and this format can provide more value than short, superficial updates 2m6s.
• To effectively digest news and information, it is recommended to allocate a dedicated block of time, such as 30 minutes to an hour, to focus on in-depth features and analysis, rather than constantly checking for updates in short intervals 4m10s.

Managing Personal Biases and Emotional Reactions

• Utilizing tools like AI bots, such as Claude and Chat GPT, can be incredibly useful for news digestion if prompted correctly to provide balanced analysis and push back against biases, helping to create a better media diet 6m30s.
• The notion that people's attention span has decreased to 25 seconds or less is not supported by data, as evidenced by the success of longer-form content, such as TED talks and podcasts, which can provide deeper dives into complex topics and foster more meaningful engagement 10m0s.
• People are capable of multitasking and often listen to books and podcasts while doing other activities, such as going to the gym or running, with around 90% of folks engaging in this behavior 10s.
• TED talks are seen as the start of a conversation, providing an opportunity for viewers to learn more and dive deeper into topics, and the best talks are those that spark interest in a subject that the viewer had little prior exposure to 2m6s.
• The value of TED talks lies in their ability to make viewers care about a topic and encourage them to engage with related content, even if they wouldn't have otherwise been interested, with the talks serving as a catalyst for further learning 2m6s.

The Value of Long-Form Content and Deep Engagement

• As an analyst, Ian Bremmer works with the US government by providing free analysis and advice, and he believes that helping government leaders do better is part of his existence, although he notes that he might not work with extremely repressive governments 6m42s.
• Ian Bremmer had considered a career in government, including being the national security adviser, but his perspective changed as he grew older and gained a better understanding of the challenges and difficulties associated with such roles 10m15s.
• When Ian Bremmer was in second grade, he was one of the only students who raised their hand when asked if they wanted to be president, and this experience stuck with him, highlighting the idealism and lack of understanding of the job's difficulties that children often have 12m10s.
• The role of top foreign policy advisor to the president is considered a job that could be done well, but it would also come with limitations, such as not being able to publicly speak one's mind, particularly if there is a lack of respect for the president 10s.
• The United States currently stands for some problematic things, including a high level of kleptocracy, which would need to change before considering a full-time job in a role like that 1m4s.

Personal Reflections on Public Service and Politics

• Having done what has been done for the last 30 years, it is possible to have a lot of impact and influence while being authentic and true to oneself, which is not always easy for others to do 2m6s.
• There is no ambition to serve in public office, but there is admiration for the United Nations and its role in multilateralism, governance, and sustainable development goals, although it is unlikely that an American would be chosen to run the UN 3m30s.
• Being nonpartisan and providing factual analysis is a key aspect of the job, and it is possible to separate personal preferences from professional analysis, which is essential for providing unbiased information 6m40s.
• Dealing with emotionally challenging stories and maintaining emotional balance is important, and it is acknowledged that personal preferences do exist, but they should not influence professional analysis 8m10s.
• The distinction between personal opinions and analytical thinking is crucial, as people often conflate their personal beliefs with their thoughts on global events, but these two aspects are separate, and recognizing this difference enables more objective analysis 10s.

Separating Personal Identity from Global Analysis

• Trump's presidency is a polarizing issue, but it is possible to acknowledge his successes, such as the Abraham Accords, USMCA, and certain domestic policies, without endorsing him as a person or politician, demonstrating that analysis can be separated from personal feelings 2m6s.
• Many individuals take global events personally, aligning their self-identity with their views on the world, but this approach can be limiting, as it prevents them from considering alternative perspectives and adapting to changing circumstances 4m30s.
• The concept of meditation and letting go of thoughts can be applied to global politics, allowing individuals to acknowledge their emotions without becoming overly invested in specific outcomes, and instead focusing on how they react to events 6m20s.
• Recognizing that analysis, personal identity, and the world are distinct entities can facilitate more constructive engagement with others, even in the face of disagreements, by enabling individuals to separate their personal beliefs from their understanding of factual information 8m40s.
• Teaching students from diverse backgrounds to engage in respectful discussions and analyze complex issues without becoming confrontational is a valuable skill, and it is possible to create an environment where individuals can exchange ideas without resorting to personal attacks or emotional reactivity 10m50s.
• Establishing boundaries with technology, such as turning off one's phone during meetings or meals, can help individuals maintain a healthier relationship with their devices and reduce distractions 14m20s.

Technology and Personal Boundaries

• The phone is turned off at night to maintain focus, which has three speeds: fast, faster, and sleep, all of which are important intellectually, emotionally, and physically 10s.
• Having the phone on during meetings, social meals, or activities like tennis can be distracting, so it's better to shut it off to avoid distraction and maintain attention on the present moment 42s.
• The phone is used intensively when it's on, and having it on while interacting with others means not paying attention to them, making it a feast or famine situation 1m6s.
• Being aware of spending more time on the phone than desired helps to shut it off more often, which is a helpful habit 1m30s.
• The time it takes to turn on an iPhone from scratch is useful in situations where someone needs to exchange information, as it allows for a pause and sets boundaries 2m6s.
• Not having a do not disturb mode and being visible about turning the phone on or off helps to communicate attention and intention to others 2m42s.
• After nearly an hour of conversation, it's acknowledged that the listener has an incredible attention span and is a smart person, and the conversation comes to a close with appreciation for the shared tips and tricks 3m30s.