Be careful what you listen to and watch
Do you pay attention to what you listen to?
“TV, movies, games and books are much like food – for your mind and soul”
-Elaine Shpungin
Often times, I’d hear “be careful what you listen to and watch”, “be careful what your mind feeds on”. I knew it was true that what you listen to or watch could have effect on your mind but I never took it to heart.
I have heard that watching violent movies can make you violent or listening to music about violence, drugs, music that degrade women and even those that use profanity can have a negative effect on you. Always, I’d wonder how that is even possible. You know yourself, you know you can’t be violent, you know you respect women and probably don’t curse. Therefore, how can the movie you watch or the music you listen to make you change? I have discovered that it is true. It does have an effect on you one way or the other, consciously or subconsciously.
Here’s what Elaine Shpungin has to say
“Watching violent sequences in movies and TV can lead to increases in blood pressure, heart rate and galvanic skin responses – and to “short-term” increases in aggressive outbursts in adults. That is, adults are more likely to lose their temper or express anger in a way that is exaggerated soon after watching a violent TV or movie scene (the findings for children are more long term).”
She also mentioned this about music
“Turns out – even music with aggressive lyrics is associated with more aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors.”
Now think about it. We all know that evil communication corrupts good manners. We also know how our friends can influence us positively or negatively. In other words, they have an effect on us. It is the same with your environment (probably where you grew up in), or staying around negative or positive vibes. It all has a way of influencing your life in one way or the other. How much more what you see and listen to?
Once upon a time in my life, I was surrounded by people who used profanity. From the people around me to the kind of music that played around me. I don’t cuss but would you believe I started cussing too. First time, I was kind of surprised. Then it happened again and again. Funnily, it was just in my mind and at a point, it started coming out easily. At that point, I knew I had to control it. I never made conscious effort to cuss, no not at all. Somehow, it was in my subconscious and when I spoke, it came out.
Ever notice how you know something is not right but you watch movies or listen to songs that approve these wrong things and gradually, you see nothing wrong with it or you become indifferent? A big example is the issue of sex. In a way, it takes control of your thinking process, your judgments. Most times, we make judgments based on the norm, what’s right in our society today. However, what’s right in our society today might not be right with God no matter how normal and accepting it might be.
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What’s my point? Often times, these things happen and don’t just come because you decided to do them. They happen because whether you are aware or not, it’s all in your subconscious waiting for a day to manifest. It is always not about influencing negatively, it can also be positively too. The effect might not also be with regards to your morals. It could be your ideologies, your values, your truths, and way of life and so on.
We should never ignore the power music and TV has over us. Never depend on your strength thinking you cannot be easily influenced. The thing is you might not be aware when it all starts. It could happen subconsciously. If something isn’t healthy for you or your spirit, it’s important that you cut it off. Whether it is friends, your playlist, places you hang out in, the movies you watch and so on.
“So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs”
2 Corinthians 2:11(ESV)
What do you think? Do you think what you hear or watch has an effect on you?
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Hmm this is quite deep… I believe the things we watch or see can really affect our minds and our character in the long run. I’m not so sure about music though… I love trap music and pop and I don’t think it has affected me. I’m gass’d up for like four minutes and I’m dancing then I’m back to being laid back and normal lol. But at the end of the day, I can only speak for myself.
This was a great read btw!
Thanks Sunshine! I think will power matters too. Thanks for your thoughts ?
Wowsa, very insightful read.
I have always believed that the things we hear, watch etc have a great effect on an individual, especially if you have a very vivid imagination. However, we must never get to a point where we lose total control and we must also be able to sieve and decide what we allow. I pray God help us in Jesus name.
Thank you darling ?
Amen. Thank you dear ?
Nakas???
I’m even working on a post which examines the lyrics of the ancient song “Oh be careful little eyes what you see…ears what you hear”
These things have effect I experienced first hand. Thank God I’ve learnt to guard my heart and everybody who’s a serious Christian should too
Thanks Deshi. We should guard our hearts.
It’s unlikely an intelligent non-violent adult in a non-violent community will have his entire outlook on life altered by action movies and gangster rap. I grew up on a diet of kungfu films and 80s blockbusters. I idolised Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Van Damme and Bruce Lee. I watched and rewatched every film in the Predator, Terminator and Robocop franchises. I know the lyrics to many Tupac songs by heart. When I close my eyes I see explosions and gunfights. In my dreams burly men beat other burly men senseless. But I remain a mouse. The meekest, mildest mouse you will ever meet. The world is full of people like me.
What we watch, read and listen to matters. But the relationship between input and output is not straightforward. A bad film, on its own, will not make you bad. It may make you less appalled, less viscerally opposed, to badness in others, less likely to turn away in disgust. This may be a good thing. To combat evil one must be able to stare it in the face. Desensitisation has its uses.
You are right. The relationship between input and output is not straightforward. Could also depend on several factors. Sometimes you wonder why something has an effect on you and might not have on others and vice-versa. It’s all a puzzle.
Thank you Lucas for your thoughts.
This are the facts ,in other words I can say that this are the words that lives 🤍
Thank you 🙏🏾