Number 8: Negative Media Influences
“The growing influx of destructive images and messages into the home.”
The media, more specifically the entertainment media, have long been the subject of criticism by Christians and traditionalists… and for good reason.
Since the invention of the printing press brought about cheap print, a wedge has been driven into Western culture. The disposability and constant market for new entertainment content makes it a natural battleground between two competing forces.
Those forces are values that promote the family versus values to pleasure the individual.
Our modern entertainment media, rampant with sex, violence, and anti-authoritarian sentiment, traces its roots to the rise of “carnival” in Europe in the 16th century — a festival of rebellion against the Church allowed one day per year that since has evolved into what we know as Mardi Gras.
In recent years, however, personal pleasure and freedom have been enshrined to the point that family values are not merely rebelled against but are considered a threat. The traditional values of faith, nation, and family are being overwhelmed by a juggernaut of image and sound across numerous platforms. Propelled by a demand for increased business performance, movies, music, games, and television no longer serve up innuendo or push the envelope but strive to gain notice in a sea of cheap flash and bang.
The number 8 topic facing today’s family, as expressed by individuals from a range of backgrounds, is “Negative Media Influences.”
