Does media have too much to say?

In today’s culture, we are constantly bombarded with words. Statuses, newspapers, advertisements, textbooks, blogs, and much more all provide us with a plethora of information almost every second of the day.

Not only do we see words, but we continuously hear them as well. Television, videos, and everyday conversation have their way of filling our ears, leaving us with little silence or time for introspection.

With all of these words filling up our mental and visual space, you would think the general populous would be more inclined to analyze such a large base of words and hear what goal they are trying to accomplish.

However, I argue that this this information overload has caused society to shell up in their own state of mind. And it’s not entirely our own fault.

You see, way back in the dark ages, people didn’t have social media or a 24-hour news cycle. People were required to be exposed to all opinions and beliefs by reading the daily newspaper if they chose to be an informed citizen.

Today, the trouble is that we have a news environment that is tailored to support our opinions and beliefs. We often find online communities that support our convictions. We follow friends and promptly delete them if they say something way out of line. We limit ourselves without even knowing it.

Even if debate is had online, it seems as though no real conversation is accomplished. Name calling occurs, and people end up going right back to their safe communities, convictions even more solidified.

With such a table set before our generation, how can we possibly challenge ourselves to become a well-rounded person?

If you are looking to challenge yourself, follow a news site you cannot stand for one week. Become immersed in it. Watch it on television, read it on your phone…do whatever you can to hear make that site a part of your daily routine.

Odds are this little experiment will be very frustrating since we are not accustomed to hearing people with opposing views propose seemingly logical arguments in a (relatively) calm manner.

Although this task may be hard, by the end of the week you may feel as though you have truly learned something. Not only do you know your convictions, but you know why other people believe in their ideas as well.

When we achieve this point, we are able to have a real conversation. We can respect other people for being people. Not people who are obtusely dumb as some inconceivable thing, but a person who simply has a different outlook on life than you.

This article is about 480 words…words that may be meaningless to some, yet empowering to others. I may be speaking into the wordy wind, but I will never let that prevent me from having something real to say.