Feeding Our Minds

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I have wanted to do this social commentary for a good while.

I once read somewhere that if you show someone something long enough, it becomes normal to them. Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes perceived as true. This goes for everything we consume and has a direct effect on, you guessed it, tomorrow’s society. And that is why Penpal Gigi had to say something.

Being a person that always over-analyzes everything she consumes, I have come to the decision in March of 2021 that my relationship with Netflix needed to be terminated. I had subscribed to the streaming platform something like 5 or 6 years ago, and although I found a couple of shows that got my attention, I must say that I was not head over heels about the selection that was being offered there.

My family and friends, however, thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. So much so that I had to upgrade my plan twice so that more viewers (aka screens) can access it simultaneously. Listen, I was the most popular person in the group chat, with everyone thanking me regularly for the “hook up”.

Every now and then, I would wonder how come it leaves me so indifferent if all my relatives love it so much.

I came to the conclusion that it was because all of the shows that seemed super popular on Netflix kind of rubbed me the wrong way, mostly because I had moral issues with them. I was 25 years old when I subscribed. I did not know myself as well, was not married, had no children. Fast forward a couple of years to 32, married and a mother, this itch hit differently.

See, through the eyes of my children, I suddenly realized I could not watch one single show in front of them without cringing at the content, feeling deceived, and turning it off.

So, what exactly was so wrong with the shows? Why so much disdain, might you ask?

Well, it seemed to me like although the old programs that were available were in good taste, most of the new ones were overly violent, overly sexual, overly shocking, pushed some kind of agenda, or downright glorified characters with zero morality. It seemed to me like everything I knew to be true, good, beautiful, and wise was had been pushed to the side and sometimes ridiculed. Everything I knew to be bad, shameful, wrong, disgusting and deceiving, was now being hyped.

Hardcore violence, sexual depravity, drug use, money idolatry, suicide, political propaganda, body shaming, image obsession, you name it.

So, like I do everything that puts mine and my kids’ sanity and well-being in jeopardy, I cut it off. It has been two months now and although my family seems to miss it dearly, they do understand and support my decision. As for me, no love lost, no sleep lost, I couldn’t care less about it.

But two questions remain in my mind. Why does it seem like everywhere I look, anything that is extremely popular seems to push these same evils? And how is this impacting our thoughts and behavior?

Have you taken a look at what is actually trending on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and all these apps that the whole world can’t stop talking about?

Have you watched all these movies lately that seem to glorify the ‘bad guy’?

Have you glanced at these 10-year-olds twerking on a Cardi song about her genitals?

Have you seen all these women half-naked ‘bussing it’ and doing soft-core pornography challenges?

Have you seen all these young couples showing off the luxury houses they bought on the internet?

Have you seen these 4-year-olds that are obsessed with simply watching other 4-year-olds on Youtube unpacking stuff?

Have you realized we can no longer use ‘he’ or ‘she’ pronouns without it being somewhat of a political stance?

And in all of these instances, have you noticed how the content goes instantly viral?

What in the world is going on?

I mean, when I was growing up, we had to look for bad content, now we have to fight it off as it is being pushed down our throat without us asking.

Netflix is one example of many that show what kind of society we live in. One where parents cannot leave their children in a room with a television, phone, or tablet without worrying it might corrupt their young minds.

So, what can one do?

Well, one option would be to be conscious of what we consume and opt out of any platform or service that is morally questionable to you. See, just because everyone is doing something does not mean you have to. I repeat: just because everyone is doing something does not mean you have to. Going with the flow is not always healthy, I would even argue that it is downright dangerous in this day and age.

Second, you can find alternatives to these shows, platforms, and applications. For every streaming platform that suggested trending content to me that I simply could not adhere to, I found an alternative that offered me content geared towards people like me. For every Instagram page that promoted questionable people or ideas, I was able to follow twice more that inspired me to be better.

A third option is to simply stop watching TV and go off social media to free your mind and allow yourself time to do other things. Although this one is a bit extreme, it is well achievable and pretty easy for some people. I know a couple who not only does not have cable but do not own an actual television (the object) and both of them do not have social media. They eat together every night, take care of their daughter, go out for bike rides and camping, work out, read books, visit people. They do not seem to miss out on anything, they are happy with their decision and have not looked back.

So, although I believe everyone should be able to choose what they do consume or not, I urge you to please consider taking time to evaluate if what you spend your time and money on in terms of screens, platforms and applications bring positivity and growth in your life, versus negativity, anxiety and a total waste of precious time.

I want you to think about your kids if you have any and wonder if they truly benefit from these forms of distractions or if you could offer them better. I invite you to have this conversation with yourself, and then in your households and among friends. I hope you have an epiphany; I would love for you to come back and talk to me.

Oh, and PS: what did I do with the 20 bucks a month saved after canceling Netflix?

Well, half of it went towards my savings and the other 10$ a month went into a platform on the web that offered various classes in different fields. And a couple of weeks later, Penpal Gigi was born. It is amazing, I tell you, what we can do when we are not binge-watching mind-numbing shows until we fall asleep or scrolling endlessly on our phones. It is amazing, I tell you, what our minds can do when we give them time and space to be creative!

What are YOU feeding your mind?

Music: Sky High AK Main Version on Upbeats