RSS for News Without the Noise
Get informed without getting overwhelmed.
News apps and social media have turned staying informed into a source of anxiety. Breaking news alerts, algorithmic outrage, and infinite scroll create a constant state of urgency that serves publishers, not you.
RSS offers a different way. You can follow the news on your terms — calm, curated, and finite.
The Problem with Modern News
Breaking News Addiction
24/7 news coverage treats every story like an emergency. Push notifications hijack your attention for events you can’t control and probably don’t need to know immediately.
Algorithmic Outrage
News feeds powered by algorithms surface content that provokes strong reactions. Outrage drives engagement. The algorithm doesn’t care if the content informs you — only if it keeps you scrolling.
Infinite Updates
Stories update constantly with marginal new information. You can spend hours “following” a story that could be summarized in two paragraphs tomorrow.
Context Collapse
News apps mix serious journalism with clickbait, politics with celebrity gossip, local events with international crises. Everything feels equally urgent.
Attention Fragmentation
Checking the news throughout the day interrupts your focus and leaves residual anxiety that affects everything else you do.
A Better Way: RSS for News
RSS lets you follow news sources directly, without algorithms or manipulation:
You Choose the Sources
Subscribe only to publications you trust. No algorithm inserting viral content.
Chronological, Not Algorithmic
Stories appear in order of publication, not by engagement metrics. Important doesn’t mean rage-inducing.
Finite Reading
When you’ve read the new articles, you’re done. There’s a bottom to your news feed.
No Push Notifications
Check news when you decide to, not when a publisher wants your attention.
One Place, No Noise
All your news in one reader, without ads, autoplay videos, or comment sections.
Building a Calm News Diet
Principle 1: Less is More
You don’t need to follow 50 news sources. A handful of quality publications covers virtually everything important.
Consider following:
- 1-2 general news sources
- 1 source for your industry/field
- 1 local news source
- 1 in-depth/magazine publication
That’s it. 5 sources is plenty.
Principle 2: Prefer Analysis Over Breaking
Breaking news is rarely actionable. It’s often incomplete, sometimes wrong, and usually clarified within 24 hours.
Prefer:
- Weekly summaries over daily updates
- Analysis over raw coverage
- Long-form over hot takes
Principle 3: Batch Your News Consumption
Instead of checking news throughout the day:
- Set 1-2 specific times for news (e.g., morning coffee, after work)
- Read during those windows only
- Close your RSS reader when done
- Don’t check news before bed
Principle 4: Accept Missing Things
You can’t and don’t need to follow everything. Important news finds you. Most “breaking” stories are noise.
Recommended News Feeds
Quality Journalism
| Source | Why | RSS Feed |
|---|---|---|
| The Atlantic | Thoughtful analysis | https://www.theatlantic.com/feed/all/ |
| The New Yorker | Long-form excellence | https://www.newyorker.com/feed/everything |
| Aeon | Essays on big ideas | https://aeon.co/feed |
| Quanta | Science journalism | https://www.quantamagazine.org/feed/ |
Tech & Business
| Source | Why | RSS Feed |
|---|---|---|
| Stratechery | Tech analysis | https://stratechery.com/feed/ |
| Ars Technica | Tech deep dives | https://feeds.arstechnica.com/arstechnica/features |
Curated Summaries
| Source | Why | RSS Feed |
|---|---|---|
| Axios AM/PM | Quick daily summary | https://www.axios.com/feeds/feed.rss |
Avoiding Doom
| Source | Why | RSS Feed |
|---|---|---|
| Reasons to be Cheerful | Constructive news | https://reasonstobecheerful.world/feed/ |
| Positive News | Solution-focused | https://www.positive.news/feed/ |
What to Avoid
Cable News Sites
CNN, Fox News, MSNBC — these are optimized for continuous engagement, not informing you. The RSS feeds are high-volume and designed to create urgency.
Aggregators
Sites that aggregate content from everywhere tend to be noisy. You end up with duplicates and low-quality sources.
High-Volume Feeds
Some publications post 50+ articles per day. That’s not curation — it’s a firehose. Look for publications that post fewer, more considered pieces.
Opinion-Heavy Sources
Opinion sections are designed for engagement and outrage. If you must follow them, do so sparingly.
Organizing News in Electric Pants
Create a News Folder
- Go to Settings → Folders
- Create a folder called “News”
- Choose a color (maybe blue for calm)
- Move all news feeds into this folder
Now you can browse news separately from other content, on your schedule.
Consider Multiple News Folders
Some people prefer:
- Daily News — Sources you check every day
- Weekly Reads — Longer pieces for weekends
- Industry News — Work-related updates
Set a Schedule
With Electric Pants’ folder system, you might:
- Check “Daily News” with morning coffee
- Browse “Weekly Reads” on Sunday morning
- Skim “Industry News” once per week
The Finish Line
The best part of news via RSS? You can finish.
When you’ve read the new articles, Electric Pants shows you “All Caught Up.” There’s no more news to consume. You’ve done your civic duty of staying informed. Now go live your life.
This is the endpoint that news apps deliberately hide from you. We think it’s the most important feature of all.
A Healthy News Relationship
Goals for your news consumption:
- Informed, not anxious — Know what matters without constant stress
- Bounded time — Specific windows, not all-day grazing
- Chosen sources — Quality publications you trust
- Actionable insight — Information that helps you understand the world
- Finite — A clear endpoint where you’re done
RSS makes all of this possible.
Get Started
Ready to reclaim your news diet?
Download Electric Pants — Free, calm, and finite by design.