Turn Off the TV!

Ok, parents. I’m going to give it to you straight. Hollywood is killing your kids- mentally, physically, socially, psychologically and spiritually. (Although hyperbole is an effective literary device, it is not employed here). Now, before you dismiss this idea as close-minded, so 30 years ago, or overly zealous, please read on (after all, at least potentially, your kids’ lives are at stake).

Hollywood may have ulterior motives but their primary motivation is to make a profit by advertising products and services. (Some premium channels make their money by selling subscriptions.) To compel an individual to become part of the audience, they have to purvey what the market will buy. In other words, they show it because we will watch it. And watch it we do!  According to Nielsen, each month, adults spend an average of 34 hours surfing the internet on their phones and 27 hours on their computer.  We spend almost 134 hours watching live television, over 5 hours watching dvds and 7 hours using game consoles.  Forget everything else for a minute . . . 134 hours per month watching television? That is almost 5 hours a day.  Now, let’s add the 2 hours a day surfing the internet and Americans spend 7 hours a day on their visual digital media!

So, what are we watching?  Movies, Youtube videos, tv shows, news, the reason for your arm’s itch, the length of the Damalgous Jeloperty- mostly useless information and entertainment (according to estimates, 30% of all internet bandwidth is for porn. Some put this figure MUCH higher.).  A peek at even reputable news websites reveals headlines like “Actress, _____, Engaged to Her New Flame” and “_____ (unmarried actress) Goes Out on Red Carpet With New Baby Bump!”  Even these types of headlines normalize things most Americans do not believe are ok. Our shows are rife with unmarried sex, lies, disrespect, hatred, envy, pride, vanity, lust, murder, drug use and these are just in the Saturday morning cartoons!  Okay, so maybe the kids’ cartoons are not filled with murder but the disrespect, lies, pride, vanity and envy is ubiquitous.

What enters your heart, through your eyes and ears, will determine who you become. Want to be honest, spend time with honest people and center your conversations on Truth. Want to be loving? Watch loving relationships. Concerned about charity? Selfish characters have no place on your screen. The Bible admonishes us in Philippians 4:8-“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Now, that’s good advice! Want to change your child’s life? Fill his/her life with good things! Allow ONLY good messages.  And I don’t mean twist and contort, in your own mind, your favorite tv show’s content to make it  appear remotely, almost decent.  I mean GOOD things.  Honesty, integrity, love, peace and truth are GOOD things. Purity, commitment, dedication, fidelity and humility are GOOD things.

If only Hollywood understood GOOD.