I stopped listening to the news two years ago and three things happened: I discovered I was no less informed. Thanks to a relentless, incontinent news cycle, if you just visit the grocery store or have a single conversation with someone at work or the gym, you figure out what’s going on. My mood was instantly elevated. Much, much better mental health. And most importantly, I became far less politicized — open to contrary points of view, open to making friends on the other side of the political aisle. In other words, a well rounded person.