Changing The Way We Think About Film
Why does each generation see the world through a different lens? What changes the heart and minds of people? One answer to that question is the increase in media entertainment, and I'm not referring to news.
There is a veritable myriad of visual media that bombards our eyes from the time we wake until our heads hit the pillow. It unwittingly influences our attention, focus and feelings. It also influences our children and their worldview—what they see and perceive as “normal”. So how can we counteract this?
Removing or limiting access to visual media is an effective option. Another is to replace the entertainment with alternative viewing material like family and Christian productions. But as kids get older and become more independent with their choices and preferences, the family and Christian films are less desired. And that's because the stories and conversations in those productions don't depict real situations or how people actually converse. So we have a very short window in which to establish a Christian worldview —one that sees people as God sees them and have a desire to help the vulnerable.
An example of how media can rapidly alter a culture occurred in Brazil. This country was able to reduce family size and encourage proper birth spacing within a generation. Proper birth spacing allows the mother to fully recover from the pregnancy which benefits her health and the health of her children. This amazing change was possible through the use of soap operas. These shows depicted women having a small number of children and waiting until later in life to begin a family. The results were stunning and have improved the health of that population.
Media entertainment was used as a public health initiative, and likewise, it can have a positive influence on our children—and adults—if it's both entertaining and educational.
