This past week my roommate and I spent some time surfing Netflix. I was so chuckles looking through all of the old movies that were available. I laughed at what I used to watch and how lame the cinematography and story lines are now.
It was also kind of bittersweet.
There were old movies of suspense and drama that affected my heart and life 15 years ago – well at least I thought that stuff was scary. However, the graphics we are exposed to today are really terrifying.
I remember when I heard the B word on TV for the first and responding so wide eyed!
Now, there is not much that can’t be said or shown in the media. We see sex and violence everyday on our TV and movie screens. One of my rule of thumbs used to be that if a series was being aired on one of the prime time channels that it would be “safe” to watch. Today, this is far from the truth.
I can’t believe what is being permitted on prime time channels! Or can I?
I feel like we are becoming a culture that is more and more numb to what is right and wrong. I don’t know many people who wince at violence or sexual graphics anymore. It is only getting worse. I watched a new TV show the other day and was shocked by how much gory detail was allowed to be shown – and this on a prime time channel! I can’t believe how far we’ve come.
So when does it stop?
When do we say enough is enough? When do we say that this is what crossing the line means? When do the lines of right and wrong come back into view? How do we get back to the place of valuing intimacy and sex? Where did we lose the value of human life?
It makes me worried for the day where what is played out in our media becomes not scary, violent, or revealing enough. I am scared for the next level.
I would love to know how TV and movies have changed for you.
Do you feel like you are desensitized to what you are exposed to in our media?
Is what you are exposed to bother you less then is used to?
How do you think our culture has changed from 10 or even 5 years ago?
Ironic.
My 18 year old and I had this very conversation only days ago. We sense the same thing and feel the same concern –fear — for where entertainment culture is heading.
Love that you are having these conversations with your teen! That’s the generation I most fear for.
My 11 year old was clearly uncomfortable watching Beyonce on Sunday night. Typically he has a much better moral compass than I do.
And then there’s the fact that Pizza Hut in my local town is stupid enough to have Bones playing while people are eating pizza. Duh.
I’m glad he was uncomfortable. I hope he doesn’t lose that sense of purity.
This is something that I’ve also been thinking about, and how it is hurting the next generation. I have come to believe that if I watch it, then I am supporting it and encouraging the companies to produce more. We vote for it by watching it. And so I have tried to be very selective in what I vote for. I don’t avoid all tv and movies, just most of them. There is so little out there with any redeeming values. It’s really sad. And scary. I can honestly say that my children are quite sheltered from what’s on tv. And I’m sure that there will be those who criticize that. But I’d rather keep their innocence and naivete in tact for as long as possible. There is just so much out there that sets out to destroy that early in people. – Heather K
Hey! How are you!?
I’m not sure if you’re asking how I’m going in a general sense or not, but I’m doing pretty good right now. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting (like one of your newer posts talks about) and after several months of feeling really depressed, I’ve finally gotten out of that funk. I think God was challenging me to learn to be content, even when He says “no” to things I desperately want. It’s never easy to open our clenched fists and release things fully to God, but it is the only way to being content. (That’s my word for the year.) And that’s what I’ve been reflecting on, to answer the question in your other post. I’m really enjoying your writing and your heart. This is one of my favorite blogs. – Heather