How it Feels to Give Up the News: A Dry January Update.

The second month of the year is upon us, which means my Dry January has come to an end. As you might recall, my participation in the month of sobriety was a little different. Instead of giving up booze—an attachment I kicked in 2013—I abstained from a sneakier attachment. The American attachment du jour: Breaking News.

This, perhaps, begs a series of questions.

Why did you give up the news?

In the closing months of 2019, I felt the draw to my phone during any moment of silence or solitude. I...