If we are unaware that we live in virtual world and have no free will, does it matter?, page 4

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES

I'm still new to the simulation theory, but it seems to be a further continuation of the thematics of the Matrix series, just with a different perspective of the premise.

In the book Tube of Plenty—The Evolution of American Television, author Erik Barnouw notes that by the early 1960’s, “for most people [television] had become their window on the world. The view it offered seemed to be the world. They trusted its validity and completeness.”

When talking about most of that which is produced by the entertainment media (especially in the same genre of the Matrix and Westworld, but also other genres), clearly, television is not a “window on the world”—at least not on the real world. In fact, one book about television is called The Unreality Industry. Its authors claim that TV has “become one of the most powerful forces in our lives. The consequence is that TV not only defines what is reality, but much more importantly and disturbingly, TV obliterates the very distinction, the very line, between reality and unreality.”

These words may sound alarmist to those who think they are impervious to television’s influence (or that of a select group of writers for the entertainment media, who seem to think alike). ‘I don’t believe everything I see,’ argue some. Granted, we may tend to distrust TV. But experts warn that this knee-jerk brand of skepticism may not protect us from the subtle ways TV plays on our emotions. As one writer put it: “One of TV’s best tricks is to never let on just how much it affects our psychic mechanisms.” (whenever you read TV in these quotations, you can also think of the entertainment media in general, so including the TV shows only streamed on the internet)

According to the 1990 Britannica Book of the Year, Americans watch, on an average, seven hours and two minutes of television every day. A more conservative estimate puts the figure at about two hours a day, but that would still amount to seven years of television in a lifetime! How could such massive doses of TV fail to have an effect on people?

It hardly seems surprising when we read of people having trouble distinguishing between TV and reality. A study published in the British journal Media, Culture and Society found that TV does indeed induce some people to establish “an alternative vision of the real world,” lulling them into thinking that their wishes about reality constitute reality itself.

Could that be the main reason the simulation theory is so popular? Not because it has any merit in discussions about reality/truth*, but because it's intriguing, entertaining, it 'tickles the ears'/is pleasing to hear, it conforms with what people want to hear, talk about or believe in (“their wishes about reality”). As conditioned by those making expensive high quality entertainment products promoting it (such as the Matrix movies, so people can feel more like the heroes in such stories, seeing through the supposed illusion making them more special and superior over those who can't or won't open their minds to this supposedly 'advanced' way of looking at the world). *: "reality" and "truth" are synonyms.

“For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome* [Or “healthful; beneficial.”] teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled.* [Or “to tell them what they want to hear.”] They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.” (2 Timothy 4:3,4)

“So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14)

edit on 29-9-2022 by whereislogic because: (no reason given)