movies, music, magazines, and so on, can inspire positively, it is disturbing to see how the power of today’s media and entertainment can negatively sway human behavior. While documented evidence points to the influence of violent images on extreme behaviors, such as school shootings in the last decade, it is equally important to pay attention to the less egregious influences in entertainment such as, dressing and behaving sexually provocatively, profanity in everyday vocabulary, disrespect towards others etc.
1. Abstain from watching NC16, Mature 18 and R rated films as all these films often contain excessive (and even unnecessary) violence, sex, nudity, profanity, drug and substance abuse and horror. Such images desensitize your feelings towards what is virtuous and wholesome, causing you to accept and assimilate those undesirable behaviours.
2. Limit your time on the smartphone, tablet, computer and/or the television to no more than 2 hours a day. Instead, engage yourself in activities that develop you as an individual and benefit others such as reading, playing a sport, having a hobby, volunteer or even champion a good cause etc. Choose wholesome programs and games to play.
3. Resist the temptation and curiosity to explore the “dark” side. You never know when you will be hooked by it. Being cool does not mean you have to behave and live like the celebrities or game characters.
