This was originally posted at another blog of mine (www.motheringtc.com) that I have deleted. I have combined all my blogs into this one for the sake of simplicity in my already busy life. Jen – 6/13/09.
!!WARNING!! This may not be appropriate for children. Contains sexual language as well as other societal depravity. Now that you’ve been duly warned…
Over the last year, I’ve been slowly weaning myself off of different media. About a year ago, I started eliminating time on news sites. Drudge Report, Fox News, Fark. I found that there was just too much human refuse and being pregnant, I preferred not to think about how terrible the world could be. Summer had just ended taking with it stories of parents who were too scattered to remember to take their children to take their children to daycare & so they died in the car. People had been brutally murdered or kidnapped. And movie stars who can’t even take care of themselves, are having children. I just didn’t feel like listening to it. I had decided to spend my time online looking for things to help me in my new role as mom & housewife. I created a household notebook, organized my recipes, and learned new ways to shop & clean, as well as adjust the finances as we shifted to one income.
After Lil’ Bit was born & became more efficient at nursing, we turned off our expanded cable TV. We didn’t want to pay for it and we had read that the less exposure to TV before age two was WAY healthier and we aren’t really TV people anyway. Since it’s the same price whether we have basic or not for the internet, we decided to keep the 12 channels or whatever it is. Since I had gotten rid of the trash online, I couldn’t even stomach Dr. Phil anymore. He has gotten very negative and the uplifting, look what they overcame shows were almost nonexistent.
Because, we try to not let Lil’ Bit watch TV (harder now that it’s winter, but we try nonetheless), we don’t have a lot on the replay. But we’ve been loving WKRP & Newhart & The Simpsons is still pretty good. Kitchen Nightmares is still on & we like that. South Park is long gone–talk about crude! I’m contemplating removal of the Family Guy for the same reason. I do miss hockey, Mythbusters & Top Gear, but only when I’m sick and have nothing to do.
Anyway, we’ve started weaning ourselves of all the negativity & depravity of the world without even noticing it. We spend our time playing with our daughter and we even find time to watch/listen to EWTN & Dave Ramsey and other uplifting media. I hadn’t realized how desensitized I had become to the filth of the culture until a few days ago.
Bored and sick, I turned on the tube. Nothing recorded that we hadn’t already watched, so I turned on the last 10 minutes of Sex and the City. In 10 minutes, I discovered that Samantha was sleeping with a Mayor right before elections who had a thing with being peed on and didn’t think he should be sleeping with a sex columnist. Two years ago, I probably wouldn’t have cared, but I also wasn’t very happy with my life…not like I am now. How did we go from not showing MARRIED people in beds on TV as a kid to exploring sexual fetishes at 6pm on a Sunday?!?
Anyway, if you haven’t already, I would like to encourage you to start being selective in what you what read & watch. Review your newspaper & magazine subscriptions. Use a reader to follow your favorite topics on the web. What do you watch on TV? I’m not sure what your family’s habits are, but maybe just try it for a few weeks for yourself, just to see what happens. We didn’t do this overnight, but it feels like night and day.
Ken
15 October 2009 at 1:39 PM (15 years ago)I came across your post as I was searching for the term media fast. Over the past 3 years, I have slowly come to realize the powerful effect of media on myself and my family. Over that period of time, I have reduced 99% of my secular music listening, most of the tv programs, and other areas where this pervasive culture of permissive and abandoned behavior is so prevalent. I can say that I wish I started this journey sooner (my daughter is now 10) but I seriously commend you for getting right on the ball. It most certainly is night and day in the difference. The effect over time led me straight to God. May you find the same peace and understanding in your journey. God bless and keep you..
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Michelle
12 December 2008 at 9:05 PM (15 years ago)I totally understand what you mean! I get upset about the language the censors allow and the “nudity” in Victoria Secret commercials! Also there was that movie about the couple who was going to make a porno recently and that was in the title! On the commercial! During Sunday afternoon football! And the world wonders why our society is the way it is….
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Marli
5 December 2008 at 11:29 AM (15 years ago)Good post! I agree.. on everything from not even wanting to watch Dr Phil anymore to not watching Family Guy.
Here’s a good source of Christian media— You can listen to Christian podcasts…here’s some that I enjoy:
http://www.mylifegate.org (my church–my husband puts sermons up for the podcast) 🙂
http://www.harvest.org/radio/
http://www.pointofview.net/
http://gatewaypeople.com/index.php?action=res_podcast
Hope that is helpful to you 🙂 Thanks for this post!
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