Cutting the cord and cultural cohesiveness

[Gordon_Sims]

This thought came to mind a couple weeks ago in light of complaints some people have made about how sheltered or culturally stunted (in their opinion) our kids are due to the fact that we don’t have cable, don’t listen to the local Top 40 radio station, watch very little TV and almost never go to the movies. Most of the arguments I’ve heard from people have been more of the “pro current media” as opposed to any actual effect it might have on our kids. I got to thinking, though: are they really missing out on something we just take for granted?

I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I know that if I go up to someone my age and mention a particular movie or song, it’s not only going to spark specific memories in them but it’s something we have in common and we’ll most likely be able to have a conversation about it and other songs/movies we enjoyed at the same time. I know that if I have a group of guys in their early to mid 40s, no matter how dissimilar we may be, odds are there are at least a dozen different movies or TV shows we all grew up with so that we’ll have at least something in common. I can make jokes or references to those things and that group will get what I’m saying.

With our kids and the kids of a lot of people we know, they either don’t now or won’t in the future have that taken for granted commonality with their peers. We see it to some degree now when it comes to TV and music with their friends. There’s not a single current show we watch regularly. If their friends who do watch TV discuss what was on last night, our kids and the others in their whose parents have cut the cord or gotten rid of TV altogether have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s even more noted with music. Our kids are familiar with maybe half a dozen contemporary artists and actually like maybe half of them. However, they do listen to a fair amount of Christian music and a handful of virtually unheard of bands they’ve found online. My one daughter has a friend with similar musical tastes but my other daughter’s friends have pretty much nothing in common with her when it comes to music.

Now, I don’t believe our daughters are missing out on anything because they don’t know who this singer is or don’t watch that TV show. However, I have to wonder if this overall lack of commonality is going to have any impact on their generation as they get older. The only people I’ve discussed this with are ones with similar or far stricter media constraints than we have, and their reaction was to get defensive and not really answer (or even listen to) the question; or ones who believe that restricting media in any way is abuse and we couldn’t get past that mindset to have any sort of meaningful discussion. I thought I’d bring up here so I could hear some actual opinions.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

My children are pre-school age and I don’t have these problems yet, but my husband and I don’t watch TV and consume very little of pop culture, and intend to keep the TV off when the kids are older. (They watch a bit of cartoons but we keep it to the minimum, about half hour a day.)

I can offer my perspective of growing up and bonding in the way you describe, because pop culture played a huge part in my life.
It was very important to me that my friends listen to the same type of music when I was in high school. These things were important and determined if I would make an effort with people based on their interests. I guess I was a pretty shallow girl back then.
It was the same when I went to university, and even for several years after that.

Now a days, as a 38 year old woman, whether or not I watch the same stuff as my friends makes no difference. People figure out I am clueless on the topic and don’t bother talking about what’s popular. That doesn’t impact our relationships.

I think the cutting of the cord will have an impact on your children, and they will stand out if everyone else is fed with pop culture. But being different is not a bad thing. Your family is countercultural and it is impossible to pretend that what is normal for other people works for you. The kids should get used to the idea, even if that means they will build friendships on a different basis that their peers.

 

[Cat]

I do think it’s an interesting question–the “cultural cohesiveness of society.” You’re absolutely right–past generations all shared so many experiences, including media (movies, music, TV when it was invented) that they had (and still have) a definite “unity.”

But nowadays, with so many media options, including the internet, there is very little sense of unity among the younger generations.

That being said, I wouldn’t worry about it for your family.

My girls both grew up with little exposure to popular culture. When my older daughter was in kindergarten in the 1980s, the teacher announced the Spring Music Program to the children, and told them that they would be doing a song “just like Michael Jackson.” Of course all the children cheered, and so did my daughter. But the teacher told me that after class, my daughter approached the teacher and asked, “Who is Michael Jackson?”

The teacher thought that was hilarious–that anyone in the world back in the 1980s didn’t know who Michael Jackson was! (Don’t get the wrong idea–the teacher loved my daughter and praised her individuality and her ability to be friends with all the other kids in the class.)

THAT’S what you need to make sure to instill into your children–RESPECT for all those other people who ARE immersed in pop culture and who do listen to pop music, watch television, go to all the latest movies, etc.

Sometimes Christians tend to be rather prideful about their lack of pop knowledge, and they come across as snotty. Don’t let your children be that way. Teach them to be interested in other people without getting caught up in other peoples’ pop culture.

Then it won’t matter if your children are ignorant of pop culture. If they are genuinely interested in and respectful of others, others will accept them and probably like them very much! That was the case with my daughters.

One more thing–if children get involved with a sport or musical instrument or any other extracurricular interest, it’s really hard for them to keep up with all the pop culture. These children often seem kind of sheltered because all they know is their sport or music or their hobby. So it’s not just “religious” families that have children who are a little naïve of pop culture.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

But nowadays, with so many media options, including the internet, there is very little sense of unity among the younger generations.

That’s something else I got to thinking about after I posted this. There’s so much out there now that unless you spend 24 hours a day watching TV and surfing the internet, you’re going to miss out on a lot of it. That by itself is enough to prevent the sort of virtually shared experiences people my age and holder have. By that I mean, almost everyone I know remembers watching the final episode of Seinfeld. They remember the first time they saw Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., etc. I talked to my son about it once and he couldn’t think of any real seminal, pop culture moments that stood out in his head. Even the really big moments now are diluted by the fact that so many people only experience small snippets of them on Youtube or in their Facebook feed.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t see this as an earth-shattering issue, but I think it’s at least somewhat regrettable that younger generations are going to miss out on that cultural unity that my generation and older share.

 

[edwest2]

This thought came to mind a couple weeks ago in light of complaints some people have made about how sheltered or culturally stunted (in their opinion) our kids are due to the fact that we don’t have cable, don’t listen to the local Top 40 radio station, watch very little TV and almost never go to the movies. Most of the arguments I’ve heard from people have been more of the “pro current media” as opposed to any actual effect it might have on our kids. I got to thinking, though: are they really missing out on something we just take for granted?

I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I know that if I go up to someone my age and mention a particular movie or song, it’s not only going to spark specific memories in them but it’s something we have in common and we’ll most likely be able to have a conversation about it and other songs/movies we enjoyed at the same time. I know that if I have a group of guys in their early to mid 40s, no matter how dissimilar we may be, odds are there are at least a dozen different movies or TV shows we all grew up with so that we’ll have at least something in common. I can make jokes or references to those things and that group will get what I’m saying.

With our kids and the kids of a lot of people we know, they either don’t now or won’t in the future have that taken for granted commonality with their peers. We see it to some degree now when it comes to TV and music with their friends. There’s not a single current show we watch regularly. If their friends who do watch TV discuss what was on last night, our kids and the others in their whose parents have cut the cord or gotten rid of TV altogether have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s even more noted with music. Our kids are familiar with maybe half a dozen contemporary artists and actually like maybe half of them. However, they do listen to a fair amount of Christian music and a handful of virtually unheard of bands they’ve found online. My one daughter has a friend with similar musical tastes but my other daughter’s friends have pretty much nothing in common with her when it comes to music.

Now, I don’t believe our daughters are missing out on anything because they don’t know who this singer is or don’t watch that TV show. However, I have to wonder if this overall lack of commonality is going to have any impact on their generation as they get older. The only people I’ve discussed this with are ones with similar or far stricter media constraints than we have, and their reaction was to get defensive and not really answer (or even listen to) the question; or ones who believe that restricting media in any way is abuse and we couldn’t get past that mindset to have any sort of meaningful discussion. I thought I’d bring up here so I could hear some actual opinions.

I grew up through those time periods and watched the gradual, planned degradation of the media. I and some friends are among those who watch little to no TV. I mean, for decades, there was a lot of media the whole family, and community, could enjoy. A friend of mine told me that when people he works with find out he doesn’t watch TV, they look at him in disbelief. His wife got a call from a TV survey company and told them they don’t have a favorite current TV show. That they were not interested in what passes for entertainment on TV. Social cohesiveness used to be common, today, not so much. And it is hurting this generation. Pope Benedict put it well:

"If we cannot have common values, common truths, sufficient communication on the essentials of human life–how to live how to respond to the great challenges of human life–then true society becomes impossible."

Commentary from the Practical Catholic:

“How true this is. Where there is no communication, no culture, no shared experience, there is no society; because there is no people. There remains only a vast and foreboding, unforgiving sea of individuals ready to crash upon each other and the world with the slightest wind. Without a common basis, we have not the vaulted pluralism we’re taught to embrace, but Babel, in all the confusion and madness of a society with no binding forces. Already we are seeing the tensions of this fragmentation breaking out across cultures.”

Without a clear sense of right and wrong in public and private, we have people, especially the young, watching and hearing dark, vile and sinful things and thinking they’re OK. Normally, right and wrong are taught by mom and dad. In part, due the fracturing of families and the media turning up the volume on sex and profanity and calling it “entertainment,” I encourage you to keep your kids on the straight and narrow. They are missing nothing, except zombie heads flying through the air, buckets of blood and music that is mostly not worth listening to. Someone - aside from the media - has to tell them: “This is good, right, uplifting.” Not ‘dark, bloody, vile and degrading is OK. Enjoy.’ Even comedians have turned into these profanity spewing oddballs.

amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046

You’re not alone. That’s why some Catholics are home schooling their kids.

Best,
Ed

 

[maryjk]

THAT’S what you need to make sure to instill into your children–RESPECT for all those other people who ARE immersed in pop culture and who do listen to pop music, watch television, go to all the latest movies, etc.

Sometimes Christians tend to be rather prideful about their lack of pop knowledge, and they come across as snotty. Don’t let your children be that way. Teach them to be interested in other people without getting caught up in other peoples’ pop culture.

Then it won’t matter if your children are ignorant of pop culture. If they are genuinely interested in and respectful of others, others will accept them and probably like them very much! That was the case with my daughters.

This is very important.

I homeschooled our son. And I had parents and children indicate that somehow we weren’t Catholic enough *because *we watched TV. That people that were serious about their faith didn’t *waste *time watching TV or listening to the radio.

A little respect goes a long way.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

This thought came to mind a couple weeks ago in light of complaints some people have made about how sheltered or culturally stunted (in their opinion) our kids are due to the fact that we don’t have cable, don’t listen to the local Top 40 radio station, watch very little TV and almost never go to the movies. Most of the arguments I’ve heard from people have been more of the “pro current media” as opposed to any actual effect it might have on our kids. I got to thinking, though: are they really missing out on something we just take for granted?

I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I know that if I go up to someone my age and mention a particular movie or song, it’s not only going to spark specific memories in them but it’s something we have in common and we’ll most likely be able to have a conversation about it and other songs/movies we enjoyed at the same time. I know that if I have a group of guys in their early to mid 40s, no matter how dissimilar we may be, odds are there are at least a dozen different movies or TV shows we all grew up with so that we’ll have at least something in common. I can make jokes or references to those things and that group will get what I’m saying.

With our kids and the kids of a lot of people we know, they either don’t now or won’t in the future have that taken for granted commonality with their peers. We see it to some degree now when it comes to TV and music with their friends. There’s not a single current show we watch regularly. If their friends who do watch TV discuss what was on last night, our kids and the others in their whose parents have cut the cord or gotten rid of TV altogether have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s even more noted with music. Our kids are familiar with maybe half a dozen contemporary artists and actually like maybe half of them. However, they do listen to a fair amount of Christian music and a handful of virtually unheard of bands they’ve found online. My one daughter has a friend with similar musical tastes but my other daughter’s friends have pretty much nothing in common with her when it comes to music.

Now, I don’t believe our daughters are missing out on anything because they don’t know who this singer is or don’t watch that TV show. However, I have to wonder if this overall lack of commonality is going to have any impact on their generation as they get older. The only people I’ve discussed this with are ones with similar or far stricter media constraints than we have, and their reaction was to get defensive and not really answer (or even listen to) the question; or ones who believe that restricting media in any way is abuse and we couldn’t get past that mindset to have any sort of meaningful discussion. I thought I’d bring up here so I could hear some actual opinions.

I don’t know if its just me, but I kind of see things as dividing and growing so quickly in terms of interests and genres that there is no longer ‘one big media’ that everyone is listening to. I say this because everyone I meet and speak to is reading some different newspaper, some different magazine, listening to some band that not another I know knows of, etc…

 Because of the internet, its allowed people to explore and expand on subjects that kind of acts just in the same way that you speak of with homeschooling and turning off the tv/other forms of media etc in terms of somewhat 'dividing' people from each other.    So in a way, I kind of feel like whether you do or don't (let your kids watch tv/media etc.) , this is going on outside anyway at a larger and broader scale.   I'm not sure how any of our children will be able to relate with one another in years to come due to the 'individuality -ness' of the influence of the internet.    Then perhaps, maybe that is just my perspective.   The availability of any influence these days seems vast due to the internet- and I think that mainly is a good thing, but there are exceptions.....   Where a person 'goes' is due largely to their desires and own personal interests.   Not that that was not how it was before, but now a days, its stronger due to the internet.  (... or so I am thinking! ) The internet really brought about a huge social change and I think it is high time that society starts to really take a closer look at what it is doing and how we should use this great but problematic resource.    (I don't have any suggestions, sadly!)

I guess what I am trying to say is that what you suggest here is actually going on in a larger broader level. I’d say its a modern day concern due to rapidly changing social dynamics.

Anyone else agree with me or am I totally off base? I never quite spoke about this thought and perception before. Would like some feedback from others on it too. (not hoping to derail this post though.)

 

[Bonnie]

Our children are now young adults. They grew up homeschooled with no tv in the home, very little outside of it. We occasionally watched videos with friends and family, but rarely went to movies in theaters.

Somehow no one noticed that our children were culturally deprived in any way. Daughter was (& still is) extremely creative & that was noticed. Son has Asperger’s & deals with it very well. He is also very creative, tho with computers rather than art.

Once they were in their late teens I had much less control over their movie/tv/book/Internet choices, but they never told me they were deprived growing up or had any trouble with being culturally different from their friends. Tho most of their friends didn’t get much tv or movie time either. Only a few of their friends growing up were Catholic - many were from different religious backgrounds.

So there’s my 2 cents.

 

[StSentry83]

That’s something else I got to thinking about after I posted this. There’s so much out there now that unless you spend 24 hours a day watching TV and surfing the internet, you’re going to miss out on a lot of it. That by itself is enough to prevent the sort of virtually shared experiences people my age and holder have. By that I mean, almost everyone I know remembers watching the final episode of Seinfeld. They remember the first time they saw Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., etc. I talked to my son about it once and he couldn’t think of any real seminal, pop culture moments that stood out in his head. Even the really big moments now are diluted by the fact that so many people only experience small snippets of them on Youtube or in their Facebook feed.

How** would **he be aware of any “seminal, pop culture moments” if he doesn’t watch TV, listen to modern music, go to the movies, etc.?

 

[Gordon_Sims]

How** would **he be aware of any “seminal, pop culture moments” if he doesn’t watch TV, listen to modern music, go to the movies, etc.?

Up until he was in his early teens we had cable or satellite, and we watched network TV regularly for several years after that. We also went to the movies quite often. We didn’t put the same constraints on him that we do on our younger kids so he had far more exposure to contemporary pop culture than our daughters have ever had. The closest he came to a real pop culture watershed moment was Harry Potter, but he never got past the first book so it’s not as big a deal to him as at least a dozen movies from the 70s and 80s were to me and everyone I grew up with. His favorite bands are a real niche genre and even the people I’ve talked to who listen to similar bands have never heard of his favorites. He only has a passing knowledge of other popular musicians. When I was growing up, even if you didn’t like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Guns 'n Roses or Debbie Gibson, you knew who they were and could likely sing a few of their songs. Even if you were into indy bands in the 80s, except for the obscure stuff, most people my age knew the biggest indy songs.

I think the biggest impact this has on the younger generation is that they could miss out on the sort of commonality that made it a lot easier for me to bond with people at that age. I started at a new job once and at first glance I didn’t have anything in common with anyone who worked there. However, as soon as I mentioned Seinfeld or quoted some 80s movie, everyone knew what I was talking about and that broke the ice. The likelihood that my son mentioning one of his favorite shows or quoting one of his favorite songs would do the same thing is scant.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

I grew up through those time periods and watched the gradual, planned degradation of the media. I and some friends are among those who watch little to no TV. I mean, for decades, there was a lot of media the whole family, and community, could enjoy.

That’s another big problem we face and something that I think is splintering culture awareness even further. A lot of the shows, movies and music that some of my peers enjoy with their kids are ones I find to be obscene or objectionable. As a result, our kids have never seen them or only know about the music from the stuff they hear in passing at school. As mainstream media continues to push the envelope, the amount that we cut out continues to grow. By default, this creates something of a divide between us and the people who are happy to indulge in the near-pornographic music and videos or morally reprehensible TV shows that are pushed during primetime. Even some of the people I know who share a lot of our values, at least ostensibly, are shocked and even upset that we don’t watch that show with the gay couple, or that one that’s turned the whole singing cast gay or transgendered, etc.

 

[edwest2]

That’s another big problem we face and something that I think is splintering culture awareness even further. A lot of the shows, movies and music that some of my peers enjoy with their kids are ones I find to be obscene or objectionable. As a result, our kids have never seen them or only know about the music from the stuff they hear in passing at school. As mainstream media continues to push the envelope, the amount that we cut out continues to grow. By default, this creates something of a divide between us and the people who are happy to indulge in the near-pornographic music and videos or morally reprehensible TV shows that are pushed during primetime. Even some of the people I know who share a lot of our values, at least ostensibly, are shocked and even upset that we don’t watch that show with the gay couple, or that one that’s turned the whole singing cast gay or transgendered, etc.

It’s called conditioning. A gradual abandonment to certain sensitivities over time. There’s also a bit of habit-forming involved. I mean, people have come home, plopped down on the couch for decades, and turned on the TV for instant gratification. TV was filled with people I could relate to and like and even admire. Today? Nope. Role models are much needed, but others have decided to turn TV into their image and likeness and what they want, hoping that some of us will like it too and regard everything they show as normal or OK. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Stick to your principles. There still is such a thing as right and wrong.

Ed

 

[Gordon_Sims]

It’s called conditioning. A gradual abandonment to certain sensitivities over time. There’s also a bit of habit-forming involved. I mean, people have come home, plopped down on the couch for decades, and turned on the TV for instant gratification. TV was filled with people I could relate to and like and even admire. Today? Nope. Role models are much needed, but others have decided to turn TV into their image and likeness and what they want, hoping that some of us will like it too and regard everything they show as normal or OK. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Stick to your principles. There still is such a thing as right and wrong.

Ed

Something that has really gotten to me lately is how several of my “open-minded” and relatively “progressive” friends have abandoned shows they’ve watched for years because they’ve crossed one too many lines. It’s interesting when someone who yelled at me in years past for not letting my kids watch a show for moral reasons turns off a show for moral reasons.

Years ago I was railing against media-based conditioning in several forums I belonged to at the time. Everyone back then said I was nuts and that none of my predictions would come to pass. This was back when an underaged Britney Spears was parading around in slutty schoolgirl outfits and Abercrombie & Fitch caused their first uproar with a catalog that was, for all intents and purposes, softcore kiddie porn. I told them to expect a gradual series of crossing the line them stepping back to a point that was just a hair past what was previously unacceptable in order to condition folks to gradually more offensive levels of what was the norm. A few people agreed, most said I was paranoid nut. But take a look now at things like Miley Cyrus, 50 Shades of Grey, and the instore displays at A&F which are often worse than what was in that catalog 15 or so years ago. Some of those same folks who thought I was nuts now throw up their arms and ask where we went wrong.

 

[edwest2]

Something that has really gotten to me lately is how several of my “open-minded” and relatively “progressive” friends have abandoned shows they’ve watched for years because they’ve crossed one too many lines. It’s interesting when someone who yelled at me in years past for not letting my kids watch a show for moral reasons turns off a show for moral reasons.

Years ago I was railing against media-based conditioning in several forums I belonged to at the time. Everyone back then said I was nuts and that none of my predictions would come to pass. This was back when an underaged Britney Spears was parading around in slutty schoolgirl outfits and Abercrombie & Fitch caused their first uproar with a catalog that was, for all intents and purposes, softcore kiddie porn. I told them to expect a gradual series of crossing the line them stepping back to a point that was just a hair past what was previously unacceptable in order to condition folks to gradually more offensive levels of what was the norm. A few people agreed, most said I was paranoid nut. But take a look now at things like Miley Cyrus, 50 Shades of Grey, and the instore displays at A&F which are often worse than what was in that catalog 15 or so years ago. Some of those same folks who thought I was nuts now throw up their arms and ask where we went wrong.

The evidence is there. I still rail from time to time but, hopefully, that will end as well. The point is: things are still headed toward more and more of the bad, bad, bad. I don’t get the word progressive. Progress towards what? If it’s progress toward something that’s good for society and individuals, I’m all for it, but generally, today, progressive means bad is good, down is up and who cares about Miley? We should get over it

“WE” were taken for a ride. When this started, I thought those creative types had some high-minded, lofty and worthwhile goals in mind. I was very quickly woken up. First, all of that stuff was underground and looked down upon. Then it became “mainstream.” Let’s hope that we all wake up fully, and realize we were gently led by the hand, giving people in Hollywood some benefit of the doubt. But our trust was abused. In the meantime, I’m hopeful for a better future. There’s always been tension between good and bad, right and wrong. Perhaps we should look at some healthy alternatives for real entertainment that doesn’t make even the open-mided go, “Alright, that’s it. I tried but they’ve gone overboard. I can’t justify this anymore.”

One last thing: Let’s not be indifferent. If we lose any sense of this is right and this is wrong, we’ll end up still on the ride. We need to care - to speak up.

We should be on the same page.

Best,
Ed

 

[roseofshannon]

I’m resurrecting this post because things have drastically changed in America since it was written just a few months ago.

Now that the Federal Government has christened same-sex “marriage” we won’t have safe tv or movies much anymore.

It really was progress for the most part to include characters of different ethnic backgrounds to primetime and children’s television (although sometimes it appeared as the “token” black or Asian…etc character and somewhat contrived rather than respectful).

Now, accepting diversity doesn’t just mean appreciating people of different races, personalities, talents and classes, but actually celebrating and condoning sin. Children’s tv, movies et al, will be required to show the two mommies or daddies or kids struggling to figure out their gender, or daddy used to be a man but now he’s a woman. History shows will have to discuss the sexual orientation of historical figures as this is already a requirement for California schools.

For a while anyway, it looks like we may need to live as the Jews of the time Jesus lived, in a culture within a culture, surrounded by Romans—(also known as heathens or pagans although that sounds very derogatory and uncharitable).

The main issue will be how to create that culture while still remaining accessible and friendly to those outside (such as the Samaritans) and not think we are better (as often we are not).

Lord Jesus, please help us discern how to be the light, the salt and the yeast. :takethat:

 

[redbetta]

I’m resurrecting this post because things have drastically changed in America since it was written just a few months ago.

Now that the Federal Government has christened same-sex “marriage” we won’t have safe tv or movies much anymore.

It really was progress for the most part to include characters of different ethnic backgrounds to primetime and children’s television (although sometimes it appeared as the “token” black or Asian…etc character and somewhat contrived rather than respectful).

Now, accepting diversity doesn’t just mean appreciating people of different races, personalities, talents and classes, but actually celebrating and condoning sin. Children’s tv, movies et al, will be required to show the two mommies or daddies or kids struggling to figure out their gender, or daddy used to be a man but now he’s a woman. History shows will have to discuss the sexual orientation of historical figures as this is already a requirement for California schools.

For a while anyway, it looks like we may need to live as the Jews of the time Jesus lived, in a culture within a culture, surrounded by Romans—(also known as heathens or pagans although that sounds very derogatory and uncharitable).

The main issue will be how to create that culture while still remaining accessible and friendly to those outside (such as the Samaritans) and not think we are better (as often we are not).

Lord Jesus, please help us discern how to be the light, the salt and the yeast. :takethat:

Wait, it’s required for California public schools to discuss the sexual orientation of historical figures? I’m having trouble believing that schools will teach the sexual orientation of a figure known exclusively for his/her political, philosophical, scientific, etc. contributions. There is a lot of information to memorize in history; why make the kids learn relatively unimportant details?

 

[edwest2]

This thought came to mind a couple weeks ago in light of complaints some people have made about how sheltered or culturally stunted (in their opinion) our kids are due to the fact that we don’t have cable, don’t listen to the local Top 40 radio station, watch very little TV and almost never go to the movies. Most of the arguments I’ve heard from people have been more of the “pro current media” as opposed to any actual effect it might have on our kids. I got to thinking, though: are they really missing out on something we just take for granted?

I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I know that if I go up to someone my age and mention a particular movie or song, it’s not only going to spark specific memories in them but it’s something we have in common and we’ll most likely be able to have a conversation about it and other songs/movies we enjoyed at the same time. I know that if I have a group of guys in their early to mid 40s, no matter how dissimilar we may be, odds are there are at least a dozen different movies or TV shows we all grew up with so that we’ll have at least something in common. I can make jokes or references to those things and that group will get what I’m saying.

With our kids and the kids of a lot of people we know, they either don’t now or won’t in the future have that taken for granted commonality with their peers. We see it to some degree now when it comes to TV and music with their friends. There’s not a single current show we watch regularly. If their friends who do watch TV discuss what was on last night, our kids and the others in their whose parents have cut the cord or gotten rid of TV altogether have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s even more noted with music. Our kids are familiar with maybe half a dozen contemporary artists and actually like maybe half of them. However, they do listen to a fair amount of Christian music and a handful of virtually unheard of bands they’ve found online. My one daughter has a friend with similar musical tastes but my other daughter’s friends have pretty much nothing in common with her when it comes to music.

Now, I don’t believe our daughters are missing out on anything because they don’t know who this singer is or don’t watch that TV show. However, I have to wonder if this overall lack of commonality is going to have any impact on their generation as they get older. The only people I’ve discussed this with are ones with similar or far stricter media constraints than we have, and their reaction was to get defensive and not really answer (or even listen to) the question; or ones who believe that restricting media in any way is abuse and we couldn’t get past that mindset to have any sort of meaningful discussion. I thought I’d bring up here so I could hear some actual opinions.

Opinions don’t matter. As a media professional, I would encourage all Catholics to restrict the movies, TV shows, books and magazines their children read/watch and tell them why. The basic answer is most of “popular culture” is immoral. It presents sinful behavior in a “fun” and positive light. Young people need good role models. Ideally, their parents. There are no good/moral role models in popular media as it exists today.

If they are missing out on anything, or have certain feelings because their friends, including adults, have to come to accept these things - that’s too bad. Good, moral Christian living comes from avoiding such things, telling them why and replacing those things with healthy/moral alternatives. Being a good Catholic comes from constant practice in doing good and avoiding the bad. It’s not like turning a switch off and on

This is important for their souls, and for the good of society as well. Parents are to raise up a child - not the outside world. Trust me, I’ve watched it get more and more immoral in public as well as in the media over the last 40 years. Good behavior is good. It is taught.

The people behind this have continued to present a “popular culture” that trivializes sex, makes killing Zombies, in a graphic manner, “cool,” and even having a show about a “nice” serial killer - Dexter, who only slices up and dismembers “bad” people. What was your favorite episode of The Walking Dead? How about the one where a group of survivors are lured into a compound where living human beings have their throats slit and you watch their blood run down a trough. Hey, ya gotta eat and what’s wrong with cannibalism? Or that “great” episode of Dexter where he uses a chainsaw to dismember a really bad guy. Cool, right?

Or that other TV show where sex without marriage is the norm? Adultery? It happens. Or how about that doctor show where she goes to a bar, has a few, and picks up a guy and doesn’t even want to know his name after they have sex? Somehow, she doesn’t end up with HIV/AIDS or they don’t find her body in an alley the next day.

If we are going to have stable, functional societies that believe in absolute truth then lines need to be drawn.

Pope Benedict:

“If we cannot have common values, common truths, sufficient communication on the essentials of human life–how to live how to respond to the great challenges of human life–then true society becomes impossible.”

Ed

 

[edwest2]

Wait, it’s required for California public schools to discuss the sexual orientation of historical figures? I’m having trouble believing that schools will teach the sexual orientation of a figure known exclusively for his/her political, philosophical, scientific, etc. contributions. There is a lot of information to memorize in history; why make the kids learn relatively unimportant details?

Sexual orientation doesn’t matter. This is called propaganda.

Ed

 

[edwest2]

I’m resurrecting this post because things have drastically changed in America since it was written just a few months ago.

Now that the Federal Government has christened same-sex “marriage” we won’t have safe tv or movies much anymore.

It really was progress for the most part to include characters of different ethnic backgrounds to primetime and children’s television (although sometimes it appeared as the “token” black or Asian…etc character and somewhat contrived rather than respectful).

Now, accepting diversity doesn’t just mean appreciating people of different races, personalities, talents and classes, but actually celebrating and condoning sin. Children’s tv, movies et al, will be required to show the two mommies or daddies or kids struggling to figure out their gender, or daddy used to be a man but now he’s a woman. History shows will have to discuss the sexual orientation of historical figures as this is already a requirement for California schools.

For a while anyway, it looks like we may need to live as the Jews of the time Jesus lived, in a culture within a culture, surrounded by Romans—(also known as heathens or pagans although that sounds very derogatory and uncharitable).

The main issue will be how to create that culture while still remaining accessible and friendly to those outside (such as the Samaritans) and not think we are better (as often we are not).

Lord Jesus, please help us discern how to be the light, the salt and the yeast. :takethat:

It’s easy - avoid immoral media. The country has not changed drastically. We can still be polite to all in real life. Do not watch any TV, or movies, with same-sex characters. Simple. Unless it’s a documentary - maybe.

Same-sex marriage is a legal fiction. If I saw 100 people today, I could not tell if any of them were gay/LGBT. No, we’re not better. But we must know what the Church teaches and why.

Ed

 

[Gordon_Sims]

**It’s easy - avoid immoral media. **The country has not changed drastically. We can still be polite to all in real life. Do not watch any TV, or movies, with same-sex characters. Simple. Unless it’s a documentary - maybe.

Same-sex marriage is a legal fiction. If I saw 100 people today, I could not tell if any of them were gay/LGBT. No, we’re not better. But we must know what the Church teaches and why.

Unfortunately that’s getting harder to do. I’ve written multiple emails to Netflix and Hulu asking for greater control over what can be seen when I’m browsing for something to watch. Some of the images for shows and movies on there right now show nudity, graphic violence, same sex couples in bed and/or kissing, women in the throes of simulated sex, etc. We were at a park the other day and some song came over the loudspeakers. It had just about every vulgar word you could think of and the only one slightly bleeped was the F-word.

One good thing is that our daughters are getting older and more confident about themselves. They’re very strong in some of their beliefs and won’t tolerate things like abortion, championing or promoting same sex “marriage,” etc. I know it’s always different when they’re away from home, but at least when we’re around our two older girls are very committed to not watching stuff that is contrary to what we believe.