A couple of years ago, I needed to make some significant changes in my life. Spending a few months overseas by myself and unplugging from social media, TV, newspapers, and magazines sounded like the right thing to do. Even though I could not understand the language in the countries I visited (Turkey, Italy, France), I learned to communicate by relying on gestures, body language and enlisting by-stander interpreters. I was also able to control what information I heard daily. Probably not the dream vacation for most, but for me, it was what I needed.
When I returned to the United States, I noticed how different this country provides media content. Although the same world news is everywhere, I saw a sick pattern. Here’s an example of headlines by country:
The Hit-Parade List of Baby Names for 2019. (France)
Having More Babies Will Save Italy’s Identity. (Italy)
Turkish TV series actors rescue baby sea turtles. (Turkey)
Grandma charged after baby found stabbed in the oven. (America)
My exaggerated opinion is France’s media talks of food and romance, and Turkey dishes about soap opera stars and government agendas, Italy rallies around soccer and vacation destinations. American media focuses on fear, fear, and more fear.
Which made me wonder….
FEAR CULTURE
Did you know the fear of falling and loud noises are the only fears not learned? Think about it? Where does fear come from? What are you exposed to every day? Or the better question is — what are you allowing yourself to listen to or watch?
FAKE NEWS
The American Press Institute taunts the purpose of journalism is to “provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies, and their government.”
The truth is — 15 billionaires own America’s media outlets. These companies create SOUND BITE AGENDAS by selecting and restricting news to shape our perception of the world. It’s a widely held belief that the information delivered to people daily serves the interest of those who control this country. They drive our views about the future, rewrite our past, and create our history. Are we being provided information or being told how to think?
MANIPULATIONS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR
“The more you can increase fear of drugs and crime, welfare mothers, immigrants, and aliens, the more you control all the people.” — Noam Chomsky
Anybody who has studied the power of persuasion in advertising is aware of how easy it is to manipulate human behavior. For our viewing pleasure, tv, movies, and articles are full of a plethora of all types of addiction (drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping), terrorism, violence, and sexual assault — which does nothing more than act as a catalyst to trigger PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
The fear of missing out accelerates the compulsion to keep watching. Social media has become a measurement tool for tracking depression.
EMOTIONAL TERRORISM
Advertisers know it’s about creating an emotional connection if you want people to buy your products. They no longer sell products by talking about features and benefits; they hijack our core emotions (such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear) to trigger more significant response rates.
If you want to control populations, fear is your go-to — it’s much easier to control a fearful population than a fearless one. Fear occurs when we feel threatened, whether it’s real or perceived. Anxiety is the emotional reaction or result of fear.
BRAINWASHING
“The general population doesn’t know what’s happening, and it doesn’t even know that it doesn’t know.” — Noam Chomsky
I can’t stand watching prescription drug advertising. The repetition and frequency in which the commercials run are annoying. And listening to the list of side effects gives me a physical reaction. It’s as if the drug companies are trying to plant subliminal suggestions. Are we being brainwashed into thinking we need drugs?
Fear is powerful and is used to get our attention. The other tools are guilt, curiosity, and humor. The danger is that using these tools of emotion can cause powerful associations. Hypnotists know that people are more susceptible to suggestion if they are in a highly emotional, and the response is more powerful when suggestions are vivid and repeated.
FEAR MONGERING
Being exposed to so much negativity creates stress, whether it’s climate change, mass shootings, or FEMA test texts. Heightened stress is the brain’s way of remembering a pattern of something that happened in the past. It becomes imprinted, which can cause trigger panic. Whether the response is valid or not, real or imagined, the fight/flight is a way to help optimize survival. It’s a natural and protective response. When blown out of proportion, the brain gets caught in a debilitating loop and can’t adjust.
TAKE ACTION
To fight news and social media overload, I set limits. I stay connected but don’t check my phone every ten minutes. I put it away for hours at a time. Not as easy as it sounds.
Trust Your Gut
Pay attention to what you are watching, seeing, and hearing, and consider its effect.
Do a 180
Don’t just take everything you hear or read as real ask yourself, “What if the opposite is true?” You may discover two competing truths.
Educated people are less likely to be controlled or manipulated. Be crystal clear on what you believe vs. what other people tell you.
Be a Skeptic
Avoid manipulation and persuasion attempts made by the media or other people. Tap into your wisdom and insights. Know when to accept someone else’s opinion or reject it as just their opinion. Their idea may not be right or helpful, and it could be used destructively, meant to hurt you, and keep you from growing or accomplishing a dream or goal.
(I highly recommended watching Noam Chomsky “10 Media manipulation techniques”).
(I’d love to hear how news affects you. And ideas on ways to disengage from harmful media sources.)
