The child thinks it makes them appear grown up, but in truth it sets them down a dark path. Because like regular heavy drinking, News consumption like this can be addictive. It can be a prop that morphs into a nasty, life draining habit.

Indeed, as Alain de Botton has noted in his book News: A Users Guide the news itself has to a certain extent taken the place of religion as “our central source of guidance and touchstone on authority.”