Monday night we talked about the Media and its influence in all areas of our lives. More important to consider are the forces that shape our view of ourselves, our friends, and our society as a whole. I was asked Monday night for the executive from MTV who issued the quote I used and I found it in a great article. I have posted the article below along with a link to the MTV executives as well in case you would like to tell them how you feel. However, I think it’s important to note that the change has to begin with us. It will never be a change that happens on a large scale, but if we can change as individuals, change on a large scale is possible. Hope you enjoy!

tv and computers aside, I get the sense from a lot of young people I know that they feel something is missing from their lives. Have you noticed this in your travels?

Joe: I’ve often talked about three important characteristics of all teenagers.
The first is a feeling they have of great expectation that something tremendous is supposed to happen in their lives around the age of fifteen or sixteen.

The second is the feeling that some greatness exists within them. The third is a longing that is so intense it can never be assuaged. And so at this point teenagers begin looking for models of who they can be, someone to help them define and put that deep longing into perspective.
And what do they get? They get mtv, they get rock stars, they get all of the rest of the trash in movies and on television.

Kim: This is the stage of life when many other cultures encourage spiritual growth through things like coming-of-age and rights-of-passage rituals.
Do you think the absence of these in our culture is one of our downfalls?

Joe: Certainly, but the things you’re speaking of are vehemently blocked by our society because they’re not economically viable. They can’t be given a dollar value. Young people looking for something of meaning and substance out there have a terrible time finding what they’re seeking because they are locked into our cultural system. Look into Ralph Nader and Linda Cocos new book on the corporate exploitation of children. Its a bomb shell.
When Ralph Nader approached Bob Pittman, founder of MTV, and asked him if he realized the profound influence they were having on kids, the guy leaned back and said, “Ralph, we don’t influence kids, we own them!”

Today there are actually entrepreneurs in the marketplace selling programs to corporations detailing how to exploit the child mind! In other words, we are totally set up right now as a consumer society, and changing that fact would literally threaten our economy.

I don’t think you can change this reality on any large-scale basis. You can only try to work around the edges and hope to reach one individual at a time. No one’s going to change the overall system. All we can do is appeal to parents who have ears to hear and who are willing to take the risk of getting their children out of this madness and protect them against it.

From:
http://www.onlinehealth.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=...

Contact MTV Execs:
http://www.viacom.com/contact/Pages/default.aspx