Over the course of a day, Americans see
many flashes of pictures on TV, in films, the Internet, books,
magazines and newspapers. These pictures reach us wherever we are
and whether we like them or not. They impact us consciously and
subconsciously but they do fulfill their missions. We know this
because American advertising - the backbone of the communication
industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805 – 1859),
a French political thinker and historian saw pictures this way:
“History is a gallery of pictures in which they are few originals
and many copies.” To de Tocqueville the pictures that greet us are
merely copies of the originals. This is nothing new, but even
unoriginal images have the ability to persuade us into buying,
selecting, and shaping the ways we view the world around us.
Pictures though can be misleading and
although the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may overlook some
complaints about deceptive ads there still remains areas of concern.
Pictures that we see may never tell the whole truth, or even if they
do, they are often buried amidst millions and millions of images.
For one thing ads will tell us to “buy, buy, buy.” We get the
feeling that “everyone is doing it” and products will bring us
fulfillment. You'll never see ads telling you, “you're okay the
way you are ... just fine and keep on doing what you're doing.”
A Christian has to be able to sift
through the avalanche of images to determine what's true, false, and
misleading. It's necessary to focus on the “big picture” of
Christian love and truth. In the limited presentation in the media
of what is really good, fair and just, the casual viewer may be
easily deceived. Worldly ways can be very deceptive. They are like
roaring lions seeking to devour unsuspecting and susceptible
individuals. When viewing images Christians must look for those
pictures which elevate their minds, bodies and spirits. Viewers must
not be fooled solely by physical attractiveness, the beauty of the
products, but look carefully at their contents. Some attributes may
tell us nothing about the personalities depicted in scenes, the
products being sold and their true worth.
Opportunities that Make a Difference
Christians should look at these
pictures as opportunities to make a difference with their families,
friends and neighbors. Les Brown (b. 1945), a motivational speaker
and popular author explained that “in every day, there are 1,440
minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a
positive impact.” With the pictures we view, come to grips with
those that are important to you that can make a difference. All
portrayals are not bad. Some images may appear intricate to
understand, so spend time reflecting on them. Some of them tell
about natural disasters, wars, crime, social upheavals, martial
infidelity, corruption and bankruptcies. Christians must use such
explosions of bad images as teaching opportunities and times for
prayer and meditation.
Many good images are productive and can
reap great benefits for viewers. These can translate to huge profits
to them - not merely monetarily, but culturally, morally and
spiritually. During an election year image-makers are at work
selling their brands of candidates. Although a great deal is based
on promises, viewers are able to get glimpses into the candidates'
personalities, their positions on issues and leadership styles. Some
candidates may be cool under pressure, others may display excellent
qualities in being a family man, woman, and patriot.
Sholom Aleichem (1859 – 1916), a
leading Yiddish author and playwright observed that “life is a
dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a
tragedy for the poor.” It's remarkable that the rich sees life as
comedy. With most comedies people laugh a lot and relieve their
tension. But with such laughter, well-meaning individuals can still
be misled, for they may also be presented with pictures of some of
the rich folks losing their businesses, life's savings and retirement
funds.
All that Glitters
J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 – 1973), an
English writer, poet and university professor reminded us that “all
that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the
old that is strong does not, wither, deep roots are not reached by
the frost.” It's clear that Tolkien would say that the images of
richness presented to the world are relative. To some worldly types
this may mean material wealth; to matured Christians – peace of
mind, body and spirit. Christians as a group may even learn what it
means to be haunted by demonic portrayals. They may prefer not to be
materially wealthy, choosing instead to live a simple life, by being
ascetic, poor and celibate. For they know that their treasures lie
securely in heaven. Such views are unlike many pictures presented in
our world that encourage us to buy and have more and more earthly
possessions.
No comments:
Post a Comment