Many analysts of our culture would describe this day and age "the age of information." With all the different types of media today there is no doubt that this is, indeed, the most well informed age in history - with information that Neil Postman in Amusing Ourselves to Death would better describe today's epistemology as Entertainment. Logically, information is essential to have an informed opinion or make a right decision, but equally important to the actual information is the context of which the information is found. Today, Information/Entertainment is thrown at us in an incredible rate. Technology has allowed access to fragments of information from the other side of this globe in split seconds, to both our advantage of global awareness and also to fuel our North American misconception of what it means to be well-informed.. Television has the ability to shape, change and distort our view of reality in a very dangerous way.
We must first acknowledge that everything on TV is packaged as entertainment. Everything from commercials, programs, and even the 10 o'clock news. I don't think that too many of those reading would be shocked to hear that commercials and television programs are entertaining, but I would like to suggest that the news programs also are delivered as a piece of entertainment.
Even the newscast that is viewed on the television set has to be packaged in a certain way to attract attention; from the cheerful music they play between newscasts, the physical appearance of the news anchors/actors, the stereotypical, easy-going sports and weather guy, to the flashing pictures and streaming three second audio-video clips that push ideas and morals "... into and out of consciousness that neither permit nor require evaluation."-Postman. By adding the cheerful music, humourous news story and/or cramming a nonsense commercial a split second after casting about the horrible AIDS situation in Africa does not convict me that their story is so terrible and a worthy cause of my attention. Therefore, becoming nothing more then entertainment.
What is the purpose for the newscast? Is it to bring to our attention the fact that AIDS is a huge crisis in Africa? or Do they seriously want us to consider the situation and see how we, the audience, can help? Not even the people in the newscast room have a purpose or message to take from the actual image that the viewer just saw. Without a purpose, how are the viewers supposed to interpret a meaning or message? Because we aren’t actually informed with the whole situation the story has no context, because this situation has been taken out of context it has no meaning, and because it has no meaning it becomes entertainment. If the situation is a fact it is useless and nothing more then another fragment of information irrelevant to our daily lives!
Because the news has no value to be drawn from it, it has very little if any weight in our daily lives and decisions. Because our knowledge on a certain topic derives from television, the information that we are given is extremely tainted and give us opinions about anything and everything based on NOTHING. Nothing consists of nothing. This is obvious and let me explain; “nothing” consists of no morals, no message, meaning, purpose, or context. How then, are we to derive our opinions on something that is not a true reflection of reality? This is obviously an extreme case where one only collects information from the television set. It would be ridiculous to think this as true, but with the extreme decrease in reading of print based material and the drastic increase in televised information in today’s youth, one’s view are fairly heavily weighted by the source most often sought after.
With this in mind, the North American definition of what it means to be “informed” must be revamped! Currently, western culture has define it as a wealth of information and “knowing about lots of things,”says Postman, not “knowing a lot about things”. The western culture believes that we live in the most informed era of history, to which I would much rather suggest that our culture is more ignorant than it is well informed. I would say that most reading this critique know of the AIDS crisis in Africa, but would venture to suggest that not very many reading would be able to tell me what language they speak in South Africa, or what religions are prevelent, what government they have in place, or what “tucka; mayuc’kala” means. Postman asks an awesome question when he asks: "Ignorance is correctable, but what shall we do if we take ignorance to be knowledge?" pg.109
Let us first look at some definitions. These definitions seem simple, but really look at what they mean.
Entertainment:
Something that amuses, pleases, or diverts.
-Amuse:
To cause to laugh or smile by giving pleasure.
Originally meant: To delude or deceive.
-Pleases:
To give enjoyment, pleasure, or satisfaction
To make glad or contented.
-Divert:
To turn aside from a course or direction
To distract
To entertain by distracting the attention from worrisome thoughts or cares
(courstesy of Dictionary.com)
By realizing that everything on Television is packaged as media we can then draw some conclusion to the effects that this form of media can have on us. The point that I find quite disconcerting is that everything points to distraction, deceptions, and pleasure and eludes any sort of assessment on life, critique and thinking. Other points I wish to discuss are that television gives us a misconception of reality, it takes the glory of God and places it upon our pleasure, and has the very real ability to divert us away from God by acting as a comfort, or an escape from reality.
First, an interesting fact that I wish to point out is, clearly in the definition of the word “amuse,” deception was its original meaning. Although it may not use in this way today, I think it very mush so applies to the description of entertainment. If our culture recognizes that what we see on the television set may not be reality, how are we to decipher what is real and what is not? We have all used or heard the line "its only TV." or "its only a movie." Let me clarify something: television is not a true reflection of reality, it is merely what the author thinks that you think would be ideal. Such is the outline of every commercial you see on TV. In many cases it comes very close to making us think that it is reality. I do not wish to leave you with the lasting impression that the news is not important nor that actual event is real, but what I want to stress the effect and ability that the television has to alter and form the way we think of certain topics to their advantage. Television is a dictator, a one way form of communication, it tells you how and what to feel. If communication is supposed to be a two ways, there is obviously something wrong.
In a sentence or two let me briefly touch on the topic of “reality” television shows. Reality television shows are nothing but a few select individuals with certain, very strong personality traits that are forcefully assembled together so that North America can be grossly entertained by their sinful nature unfolding in a “mere game” where biblical principles like that of honesty, integrity, patience and love are not embraced or seen as positive traits but more so as a hindrance to that of the earthly prize! Such as the phrase from Survivor goes, “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.” Need I say any more.
Secondly, our purpose on earth is the honor and glorify God, celebrate in Christ’s victory over death and in turn spread the gospel to those in need. My question is: where in the definition of entertainment does the glory point towards God when everything points to pleasing ourselves?
Finally, in the list of definitions we find “divert:” -To distracte the attention from worrisome thoughts or cares. Is this the biblical way of dealing with our thoughts and cares? In Psalm 55:22 the psalmist writes “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” In Revolution in the World Missions by K.P. Yohannan, he asks an interesting question, “why is it that in America we feel the need to be constantly entertained and assaulted with media...? It is as if we are trying to disguise a guilt that we have not yet defined.” He goes on to suggest to possibilities of straying from out walk with the Lord, or the guilt of over-eating, big houses, or nice cars, meanwhile, we are letting thousands die to the name of Satan every day.
In conclusion, television is a powerful force of deception. It is easy to slide into a state of constant entertainment and media assault without even noticing. As Christians we must realize the dangers that exist and also fight them. Satan would love it if we were to turn to our television sets in order to temporarily escape this world, and for us to believe the lies that is displays. It is easy for one to defend television in the fact that it never openly lies, it only tells half the truth. But as K.P Yohannan says "the interesting thing about the half truth is that they in themselves contain an entire lie."pg 101 God is truth, let us focus on God and not constantly being entertained. To Him be the Glory, and may we fall on Him for our comfort. Amen.
Now it is your turn. What is your response?
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