Why is so much time spent watching a TV or screen?
What do we really expect from it?
While not opposed to this excellent medium, vision is the single most suggestive influence on the mind.
It can significantly impact your health and well-being. Especially young people, who tend to simplify complicated subjects and plant misconceptions that will be difficult to change later. Older people can be stuck in the mindset of thinking the news is always right. That's a tough one to navigate.
Be very selective in what you or your family watch.
It is so easy to accept what we see as reality. But it is only our perception of reality. It is what the programme producers want us to see and hear.
In today's digital era, television and social media often foster a false sense of security while perpetuating conflicting views and undermining clarity in morals and principles.
We're overloaded with messages of doom and gloom, and what we once thought was wrong is now considered all right. This reflects moral relativism—the idea that morality, or what's right and wrong, depends on culture or personal choice. Essentially, it's the belief that 'If I believe it, then it's true for me.'
Be careful what you watch—it's shaping more than you think.
Also, you can lock down your internet if you have young kids. It's simple to do these days. I'm also attempting not to let my kids have apps like Snapchat until they are 16. I'll let you know how I get on with that one. My 13-year-old daughter gave me a slideshow explaining why she should have it. It was good, and I appreciate the work she put into the presentation. However, we're still in negotiation because Jonathan Haidt's work is even more compelling against it than the reasons she presented.
This week, think to yourself - or put a sticky note on your laptop - I will be more selective in what I watch on television or the internet and how much time I spend on those media. I will choose what will be of value to others or me in my care and spend more time improving my mind through reading.