Turn Off The TV and Turn On Your Mind

[Im The Truth]

Turn Off The TV and Turn On Your Mind
March 8th, 2009
Blanche Williams

Turn off the doom and gloom of daily television/cable news. Turn off the gratuitous images of sexuality and brutality. Turn off the pseudo-reality shows with pseudo-celebrities seeking another 15 minutes of fame and shame. Turn off the programs that cater to the lowest possible denominator, demeaning women and men of color, while elevating the stereotypes that keep marginalizing our diverse potential. Turn off the reports that constantly depict our family members as criminals, dead-beats, and gold-diggers. Tune out the mindless dribble and tune into your spirit of curiosity, creativity and resilience.

Are you allowing the mass media to dictate what you think about? How many times a day do you hear “the sky is falling?” How many times are you reminded that we are in tough times and there’s no end in sight? The irony is that we are used to being creative and strategically approaching our lives and our livelihood. Whether we are low income or living large, we know how to work well with what we have.

Don’t fall for the media’s usual tricks. They are bombarding us with a familiar campaign of fear but you don’t have to be bamboozled. Don’t get caught up in the hype of the pundits, experts and the blah, blah, blahs. Turn the television off or at least cut down on the number of times you listen to the same regurgitated messages. Something this simple can change your outlook and utilize your time more effectively.

Ironically, black women knew we were in a recession before it was televised. How did we know? Because we are the ones who pay the bills, buy the groceries, and take care of the kids. We watch the trends because we have to navigate them.

So what information would be more useful to you? What information would help your household? What would stimulate your pocketbook and your mind? We should demand of ourselves and for ourselves a media outlet or platform that will provide news that we can use and I’m not talking about gossip or fashion. I’m talking about news that will help families, young adults, and communities thrive during these lean times. Stop accepting the mediocre and start demanding excellence in programming. If no one is providing it, we should create it.

You know what they say, “necessity is the mother of invention.”

[Mordecai_7]

TV is a propaganda tool. It is actually effective brainwashing. I'd have to get into the science of propaganda to explain that fully, but TV should be watched selectively and carefully...