We are badgered with a lot of information nowadays. News media are not able to survive on providing accurate information. They need to blast information that is controversial, provocative and if possible, conspiracy theories. The new media are not enticing their readers, but it is their readers who are enticing them into the pit of darkness.
Woke and cancel cultures are now major news on media channels. Nearly every president who takes position to lead a nation, becomes headline news by being ridiculed and undermined.
For example, take the late night television shows. The politically biased hosts, get all the attention when they are able to mock the president and whomever they want, under the ideology of the press and media freedom. Every known leader is made to look either dumb, incapable of running the nation or in the border line of being mentally ill. Unfortunately, most senior leaders who become president or prime minister of a country, are pretty old and this does not help at all.
Do you want your children to emulate these demeaning traits, when they watch the television or online videos? Is behaving rude, ridiculing others and being disrespectful is the norm to follow? I will leave the answers for you to decide.
Social media has its pro and cons. When television was first introduced, certain factions of people began to call it the devil’s box. It began with enticing advertisements to get the viewers’ attention, especially when the volume suddenly increases during commercial breaks. Family television shows are no longer having good ratings. Programs that promote violence, LGBTQ+ and gruesome killing of zombies makes the mark.
The art of subtle provocation was well mastered and slowly started to spearhead in all levels of programs. When once dressing up means covering the body with proper clothing is now considered neanderthal fashion. Less is more, as they say now. What was once an inner garment to cover body parts by being prudent, is now considered high fashion.
Met Gala for example, becomes a place of controversial fashion statements based on their annual themes. Some artists dress up with sweeping clothes with such trailing lengths, so much so, it hammers down the traditional length of a saree. Some have forgotten the use of their undergarments, being au-natural is they way how others should also follow. Did Eve make mistake in eating the apple then, as based to the Biblical text? Otherwise, all of us could have just walked naked without having the realization of being self-conscious.
Profitability entices most influencers.
Maximus @ MaximusPrimo.com
You are at a loss when being negatively influenced.
The narratives that are created by artists, social media influencers and prominent figures of whom are idolized by fans, are either inspiring or false pretext in nature. The tangible interest for them, is the fan base and a projected income that is apparent from all the site hits and subscriptions. People believe in what they see and hear, more than their own ability to intellectually find a better answer for their well-being.
The enticement to visual images is so intense, some go to the extend of going for plastic surgeries to look like their favorite artist. If you Google some of the extreme cases, they have distorted themselves with so many plastic surgeries, the damages are relatively frightening. I find these cases having similarity to people suffering from anorexia. They are never pleased with how they look, as their illusion and mental-health, has taken the worst towards them.
Quite a big part of my blog topics have addressed issues of contentment. When you have the ability in being contented with what you have, you are not easily influenced by what you see or hear. Most people are not, thus they become victims of the negative social media influences.
I am not against social media. I appreciate the positive benefits it brings forward. It is an outreach to many people out there, especially in the current digital world. The nature of the current social media is so intense, it is able to stealthy creep into your daily life without you realizing. Most devices today are morphing with small to medium sized screens being embedded on facia to ‘communicate with you’.
The starting point of ‘Siri’ in iPhone for example, began a culture of people just talking on the phone, asking for anything and everything that comes into their mind. What was initially looked like a practical design for physically-challenged people, became a usable norm for every other person. Talking to Siri, became a companion for some lonely and self-confining people too.
Then came ‘Alexa’, being part of Google Home and interactive devices. You could connect supporting devices and have it controlled easily with voice activation. Now, Google Nest Hub comes with an array of device management, security control and more. In reality, you had purchased a device that keeps listening and watching you, at its comfort.
Digital dependence is becoming a norm in daily living.
Maximus @ MaximusPrimo.com
You will not be able to live without it.
Welcome to the future of subtle self-immolation world in the digital lifestyle. You have willingly offered yourself without any resistance, to use and provide unlimited information in return, about anything and everything that you do, on a daily basis.
The interconnect-ability of every home device will be made convenient for you. Your Wi-Fi services will be enhanced, price will be lowered in time for blazing-speed data transmission and your mobile accessibility will become greatly convenient. You are already doing so many things on your mobile devices that watching television is becoming an event of the past.
Here is my guide to your well-being under these circumstances:
1. Learn to be contented with yourself.
2. Do not idolize anyone. Admiration and idolizing are two different things.
3. If you need to fix your physical appearance, go to a mental-health professional first and access yourself. If you are in a sound-mind and the corrective surgeries are reasonable to build-up your self-confidence, then tell yourself that it is going to be a one-off procedure. What you may start as a minor plastic surgery will end up becoming an addiction. You will never be pleased with any of the outcomes.
4. Technology is beneficial, if it is used well to your benefits. If you feel, that using connected devices is the way to your comfort, I am not going to stop you. However, be conscious of the influences it may be leading you to. Big-data system is able to pool all your information, channel it in the form of your ‘coerced’ personal choices, selective advertisement that leads you to compulsive-buying and fishing you to online food-deliveries.
5. Be really conscious of your daily activities. Do not become a digital couch potato.
6. Read a printed book, where possible. Habitual reading helps you to be a more reasonable person and elevate your self-confidence without being arrogant. Instead of flipping out your phone every time to read and keep up with your replies, take the book out and continue reading. You will begin to realize the independence you have created from your mobile-addiction.
7. Be able to intellectually analyze and differentiate truth. You will be able to then realize the falsehood behind it all. This does not mean that you are going to be a conspiracy theorist. This world has enough mysteries as it is. Don’t bother about it that much.
8. Learn to be charitable. Go and offer your help at a food bank. Do visit care-homes, if they need volunteers. It will be an awakening for you. In fact, you will also learn some effortless steps to self-contentment easily thereafter.
9. Exercise. A healthy mind and body will make all the difference. If you plan to bulk-up your body, do it safely without steroids and illegal-enhancement products. If your gym coach promotes products for you, pause and read up what you are possibly going to consume. Learn to say no and realize that you are not a victim of their greed.
A good coach will take the time to understand your body profile, mental state and your intents. They will advise you proper food intake, rest and reasonable consumption of supplements to construct the body tone you are visualizing. You want to live with a healthy body and not drop dead because of a heart failure.
10. Value your life. Meditate and find peace within yourself. You have this one chance for you to experience your journey in this world. Moderation is key to your contentment at any level of life successes that you reach.
A mirror reflects your physical-self to false contentment, when your emotions play false facade.
Maximus @ MaximusPrimo.com
