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Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Wish to Avoid Being Brainwashed (3 of 5)
By Life-Musings.com | February 15, 2009
Table of contents for Why I Don't Follow The Mainstream Media
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - Summary (1 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - It Presents Only a Small and Biased View of Reality (2 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Wish to Avoid Being Brainwashed (3 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Wish to Avoid this Fear-Mongering Machine (4 of 5)
- Why I Don’t Follow the Mainstream Media - I Do Not Wish to Fill My Life With Bad News (5 of 5)
The power and influence of mass media is subtle yet immense. It hits not only our conscious mind, but deep within our subconscious.
Some of us are aware of the negative influences of media. Yet we continue to indulge in it. Why? Because most of us think “we are different”, that somehow we are sufficiently in control of ourselves that we would not succumb to its adverse effects.
Really?
I repeat – the power of the media is subtle, yet so very potent.
And it doesn’t even take a story to shape views; all it takes, are deceptive headlines which are deliberately crafted to mislead readers, and millions would be fooled into buying half-truths, sub-truths and even untruths.
Just think about your views on many world or local issues – the financial situation, the world economy, SARS, the wars in the Middle East, melamine and China, Mumbai terrorist attacks, Taiwan situation, Tibet situation, etc, etc – how many are shaped almost entirely by what the papers and the TV news tell you?
Chances are, a lot, and I don’t blame you. Not many of us would actively seek out alternative sources and viewpoints. It is so much easier and more convenient to just believe the most readily available source. And that’s what almost all of us would do.
I liken the allure of the mass media to the power of addictions, like smoking and gambling. For years, I was hooked on both. Thankfully, I have managed to divorce myself from them.
Would I like to hold another cigarette in my hand, to inhale the sweet smell of tobacco into my eager lungs, to place another bet on my team of choice for the day? Yes, yes, and yes. Sure.
But I dare not, because I know all it takes is one fall, and I run a great risk of getting sucked back into the abyss. What, then, do I do? I stay away.
I am aware, to a certain extent, of the power of mass media. For years, I allowed myself to be brainwashed on a daily basis, on so many issues. When I look back, it’s quite frightening how my views could be so easily shaped by a few hours of TV a day.
Not to mention, it also molded my goals and desires in life, highly influenced by the hype of movie trash and the grandeur of consumerism.
Knowing that the media does NOT portray the full, unbiased, accurate and authentic reality, and knowing that we would easily take on board what they report as “fact”, would it thus not be better for us to stay away from it as much as possible?
Again, it’s like smoking and gambling. If you don’t want to be hooked, don’t pick up your first stick, or place your first bet. And if you’ve smoked or gambled before, you would want to stay away from environments which promote or encourage smoking or gambling.
I do not deny that I still watch TV. But a lot less than I used to. Thinking about the smoking and gambling analogy, I do wonder if I am subconsciously still addicted, still brainwashed, and whether the best thing to do would be to stay away altogether.
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