What are your television, video game and movie preferences? What genres of entertainment do you enjoy most? How many hours per week do you spend enjoying this entertainment? These are important questions to ask yourself from time to time. The answers to these questions indicate a lot about where you are in your life. Let's look at some of the effects of entertainment in people's lives.
Sydney* was the valedictorian of her high school graduating class. This is an amazing feat considering all the obstacles she had to overcome, such as poverty and the loss of her mother at a young age. She went on to become a New York City school teacher. That was a long time ago. Since then, she was diagnosed with a chronic disease forcing her into retirement in her thirties. She now sits in her upper east side Manhattan apartment living for Facebook and watching hour upon hour of mindless television. She usually watches true crime programs which encourage the type of paranoid thinking that those alone too much tend to gravitate towards. She is mistrustful of everyone she meets, and imagines the worst of people like they are going to steal, rape or murder her.
Shannon* went through a lot of pain and suffering during her recent divorce. Divorce is such a deep hurt. A hurt that makes us feel unloved and insecure. Overnight, her life changed from being a wife, mother and homeowner (with all the related responsibilities) to a single, part-time mother and apartment dweller. She did not seem to be able to face or focus on all the work necessary to prepare for that divorce, either legally or emotionally. Instead, she seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time on social media. Social media became a type of savior for her. Through thinly veiled comments, she was able to vent all her anger at her soon to be ex-husband. She thought herself self-important as she posted quotes of the day and she got the male attention she so craved after the crushing defeat of having her husband take up with a woman ten years her junior. On the flip side, Shannon was not getting any insight into her problems or issues. She was avoiding the hard work of self-reflections which ultimately leads to an amended life. I also believe she did not do all she could have to fight for the best divorce agreement possible, including parental custody issues.
Jackson* was a television and movie aficionado. To hear him tell it, he was very proud of the extreme knowledge that he had of the history of television and movies. He also enjoyed video games. After work, he loved nothing better than to sit in front of a screen and put on the game, some old movie or compete in a video game competition. He would become so obsessed at times that it looked to me like he was "in love" with some new video game or television series. His eyes seemed to grow larger, his energy would increase and he seemed to stand up taller. But, Jackson had a whole lot of problems that he should have been paying closer attention to. So did Sydney and so did Shannon.
Who among us has not gotten lost in a movie or our electronic devices to help us get over a loss or a break-up? The problem is that we seemed to have gotten to the point where we have overdone it. And, in doing so, we have used the entertainment in our life as an avoidance technique. What are we avoiding? The short answer to that is : the pain. Let's go back to our friends, Sydney, Shannon and Jackson. All three of them struggled with some depression, anxiety and loneliness. All three of them had problems with a sibling, child or parent that needed fixing.
Sydney has nothing to do all day. Forced into an early retirement by her illness, she has yet to find new meaning in her life. An intelligent women who has way to much time on her hands is either a great thing or a dangerous thing. In Sydney's case it is the latter. Everyone her age has a busy life and career. So, desperate for some social interaction, she interacts on social media and waits for a response. Or, she buys things that she doesn't need on the shopping networks because the adrenaline rush of that at least makes her feel like she is alive.
Shannon is not as strong as she thinks. She is not as wise as she thinks. Things are not going as well as she thinks, and no one, including her mother, can tell her otherwise. She just won't listen. The friends that she has around her, since her divorce, are just there to party with and tell her what she wants to hear. Not to mention the bubble of social media cushioning and condoning everything she does. But bubbles have a predictable way of popping.
Jackson had a brother and sister who were cold and distant. They wouldn't know if he was dead or alive because they never pick up the phone to call. Their family get-togethers seem devoid of genuine love and affection, nobody really gets along. It is all very superficial. This has been going on for a long time but does Jackson try to address the problem? No, his family taught him a long time ago to shut-up because no one was listening! So Jackson found solace during Thanksgiving in the game. Can you blame him?
The things we do with our free time indicate our emotional and spiritual well-being. Do we have to have noise all the time? What are we afraid of? What does the noise drown out? What does the entertainment in our life help us avoid? The noise can even drown out the Holy Spirit seeking to guide and direct us. The Bible tells us to "be still and know that I am the Lord." There is a certain reflection that comes about when we are in a quiet environment. Thoughts and truths can come thru which often lead us to face the real issues in our lives. Galatians 6:4 tells us that, "Each one should test their own actions." From Genesis to Revelation the Bible teaches us to reflect upon our behavior. There is no Biblical support for living the superficial existence. Don't be afraid because God can help you to face difficult things and even help you to find new meaning in your life. So, take some time this week, to ask yourself this important question : Is entertainment avoidance for you? God bless you!
Next week : Entertainment Detox - Part Three
* the names and some details are changed because Westchester County is not that big.
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