I wrote the post below in response to another thread, but I believed it merited its own. Have you noticed this kind of programming in your own experience, and how do you handle it in your own life, or in your family's life?:
I notice this trend growing exponentially in mainstream media over the past decade:
I think, as believers, we should be very aware of these things - and tread very carefully - especially when it comes to modern media. Even being consciously aware of these things does not easily block the subconscious from reprogramming our minds.
I notice this trend growing exponentially in mainstream media over the past decade:
- Humor, for example, allows offensive material to bypass our normal inhibitions much more easily. Activities and behaviors which most Scripturally conservative believers would consider offensive is recast in a "normal" environment, and in a positive, feel-good light. Combine that with humor to get the audience to laugh ... we feel good, our defenses are lowered, we start to associate the offensive behavior with the same ... and so we are much more easily reprogrammed on a subconscious level.
- Alternatively, intensely aggressive programming with heart-thumping, adrenaline-producing scenes increase our general level of anxiety. We become conditioned - like animals - to believe that the world "out there" is full of bogeymen "out to get us". We lose our love for our neighbors - literally. Or, we start to associate those anxious feelings with the elements in the programming (even if those elements are Scripturally OK). Good is repainted as bad, bad is repainted as good.
- Then, there are programming that feel like they're made for this ADHD generation: scenes, shows, phone apps, etc. which change every 3 seconds with flashy content and outrageous behavior on the actors' part. This kind of programming changes the wiring in our brain, addicting us to dopamine surges. We get bored with mundane, everyday life, which often turns into depression and anxiety - until we get more of the same programming, or new cars ($$), new relationships, new partners (adultery), new idevices ($$, false gods), etc. to drive our intense feelings of boredom and dissatisfaction (temporarily) away by fulfilling our reprogrammed addiction to crave dopamine in our brains.
I think, as believers, we should be very aware of these things - and tread very carefully - especially when it comes to modern media. Even being consciously aware of these things does not easily block the subconscious from reprogramming our minds.
Media -> (enters our) Senses -> (gets sent to our) Consciousness -> (if allowed through,) Reprograms Mind -> (which leads to our) Automatic Habits, Thoughts & Tendencies -> (which produces our) Action and Behavior
If "they" can't program our mind through the defense mechanisms of our consciousness, "they" go around it:
Media -> Senses -> Sub-Consciousness -> Reprograms Mind -> Automatic Habits, Thoughts & Tendencies -> Action and Behavior
"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." - Prov 13:20
