I'm not the best at making long posts, so I'll try to condense things down to concise points. Apologies in advanced for a disjointed, unclear theme or message.
>Negative Uses of Media
- Brainwashing
- Pseudo-mind control
- Political influence and sway
- Mass distraction
- Spreading misinformation
- Reducing critical thinking skills
>Negative Side Effects of Media:
- Shorter attention span
- Dunning-Kruger effect
- Reduced patience
- Reduced ability to learn
- Reduced critical thinking skills
- Reduction in general productivity
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Reduced performance of memory
>Traditional Radio
Like Television, this is much slower and nearing death in the traditional sense.
>Traditional Television
This is dying and, compared to the pre-2010s, is not as much of an influence. It still matters, but not as much as newer forms of media.
>Books
These can be very, very good or bad, usually always better than the quick-fire, rapid consumption forms of other media that require less attention and patience.
>Film
Film is still powerful and an effective tool in spreading a message or swaying someone's opinion. It also serves as a money-sink, time-sink and distraction.
>Social Media
Clickbait, hot takes, dopamine response, falsity of social media friendships, etc.
>Streaming TV Series
Netflix and similarly created content can have a bias or agenda, which is pretty normal and has been for a while - it's just in hypermode currently.
>Streaming Music
Shorter, less complex songs with similar or identical song style and song writers probably doesn't help the situation.
It is just my opinion that a lot of these forms of media, controlled by several companies, are used to have the consumer form an opinion based on the creator's agenda. That's pretty obvious, but I think it goes deeper. There are some things you see in a Disney movie, or superhero flick, or crime drama when you're younger that you subconsciously take as fact, or believe. You're probably not even aware you're doing it. Film/television is definitely guilty of this - those opinions and messages expressed in the media can be burned into your mind and in the future, you formulate new opinions based on those. Techniques like cutting, shakeycam, subliminal messaging and more can be used.
Now does this mean everything you consume has some agenda, or is trying to control you? Of course not, at least I don't think so. I do think a large portion of mainstream content has a hidden agenda, but not all of it, especially the non-mainstream, niche stuff (usually).
Solutions:
This brings me to the end of my post. How do you deal with this? I personally try to limit my exposure to this content, or "vast" from it for a while to clear my head. A message you see in a movie or hear in a pop song doesn't automatically mean it's true, even if the production value is good.
>My Personal Reactions to Abstinence:
- Initial Anxiety
- Initial Depression
- "Withdrawals" don't last as long as, say, cigarettes, but they are there
- My mind becomes clearer
- My thoughts become clearer
- I begin to become more productive
- I begin to learn more efficiently
- I generally start to feel happier
- I do get a sense of loneliness as I cannot relate to people who continue to consume mainstream media
- Fleeting waves of isolation
Granted I've only abstained from television, movies and music with vocals (I don't see anything wrong with ambient, jazz or classical/neoclassical) for a couple months. Anyone else have any experience with this? Do you think you'd be happier with an extender and/or permanent break from film/tv/social media? Do you think we as species would be better off without the majority of it?