Distraction: Entertainment and Us.

I have a question that needs a well thought out answer.

Do we, as humans, distract ourselves from things that are happening because of:

1. Ignorance. (I don't care and I can't stop it)
2. Lack of Knowledge (without reading, one can't learn)
or
3. Complete dis-association (It doesn't involve me directly so I care less)

Now, speaking of the things that are happening...

Do you think we distract ourselves, or do we get distracted by an outside influence?
(I.e., Reality TV, Internet conspiracy sites , Mainstream Media, etc)


My opinion? You are only as distracted as you let yourself be.
We are being bombarded with daily distractions by the TV and other media sources.
With those distractions come influences.
Influences that change a persons way of thinking into either the complete opposite, or worse.

Sleight of hand comes to mind.
Watch whats happening here, while we ram something down your throat here.

Here's a cool article from 2008:
Is there a cure for the 'Distraction Virus'?

The individual, the company, the nation that is best at avoiding distractions in the future will have an enormous advantage in the competitive marketplace. Think about the obesity problem. A century ago, America had the world's healthiest population, tallest people and best food. Fast forward to today. The quality of food has declined as the quantity has increased. Now 60 percent of Americans are overweight, and a quarter clinically obese. And low-quality food is also making us shorter. What happened?

The marketing of food -- advertising, packaging, brand development -- evolved like a virus. Our food-industrial complex learned to seduce us into radical over-consumption. This evolution outpaced our defenses against it. Kids are addicted to sugar, artificial flavors and junk-food brands before they're even old enough to ride a bike. Adults compulsively consume packaged, processed foods despite daily warnings in the news about their ill effects. The junk food virus is literally killing us.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/eb70e0b9fdf3.jpg[/atsimg]
Here's another article but it's very extreme (beware)
Entertainment Distracts Truth

Americans know more about entertainment news than the government's intentions for their freedom.

The modern entertainment industry is creating a distraction for the American public to the point that the public is not aware of the government and the elite's plans for them. The government and the elite are taking full advantage of the fact that Americans more intently follow the contestants on American Idol than they do the rights that they are losing daily....

...Want a distraction from life's troubles? Read the works of Thomas Paine... perhaps this will inspire you more than the opinions of Simon Cowell.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/eaf18ead9777.jpg[/atsimg]
So true. Honestly.
Americans can tell you who the next American Idol is, but not who was the 16th president.
This does not account for all Americans...so please don't be offended.
If you are on this site, you are probably more aware than others.




Six Jewish Companies Own 96% of the World's Media
Picture source and great info!

[edited to add clarity and title change]

[edit on 14-5-2010 by havok]

I have had this crazy theory about tv and mind control.
If they have been messing with it since the second world war then it makes me ask where are we now??
Subliminal messaging in commercials has happened before.

From my source.
In the mid 1950's, a market researcher named James Vicary used the first subliminal message. Vicary's goal was to make people want popcorn and coke by flashing "eat popcorn" and "drink Coke" very briefly on a screen during a movie. Vicary claimed that the sales of popcorn went up by 57.5% and the sales of Coke rose by 18.1%.

www.snn-rdr.ca...

This was written by a Grade seven student.

The fact that people know so much about tv and less about the world screams to me that not all is what it may appear.

Just my 2 cents to explain why the stupid crap on tv is so popular.
Who knows??

reply to post by DrumsRfun


These are all things done in the past, also.
Imagine what they can achieve now!

Great addition.

I wish more people read this. Maybe it would shake them up a bit...



BTW: great find. That article is well thought out and articulate!
From a 7th grade student.

[edit on 14-5-2010 by havok]

(1) Pleasure
(2) Avoid at least thinking about insurmountable problems, at least for a while [avoiding 'pain'/frustration]
(3) Habit, compulsion, neurosis, reflex

reply to post by slank


This is how I just interpreted your post.

Its a habit to not think and your pleasure is more important then obtaining knowledge about your surroundings.


Hmmm,what would make a person this dumbed down??

reply to post by havok


great topic. i have felt this way for a long time. that the public is being distracted.

once again i refer to the "Bread and Circuses" analogy.

i found myself much less "distracted" when i gave up commercial radio, television, and all other MSM. and by distracted i mean brainwashed.

we allow ourselves to be sated by it. like a baby that clings to a pacifier. it becomes the sand into which we thrust our heads.

ignorance IS the lack of knowledge.

reply to post by gravykraken


Great post.

I agree, and find that you can't take people away from the television.

But, once you get away, you find an entire other world ripe for the picking.

There has to be more than just distraction at work here...
I believe there is a reason why people are so addicted to TV, media, and Internet.

Almost like they don't want to get off the ride, like they don't want to face reality.
What they do is right. You can't tell them they are wrong...
They have been taught to live a certain way.
Taught to be a certain kind of person.
Programmed.
Good little sheep.

They don't wanna give up their banana.

Thanks Alaskan Man!

Life is much easier if you conform.

What an excellant message; it kind of quells a deep seated aggravation to see it put into words so effectively too. Thank you!

Excellent thread.

I've tried tirelessly to break everyone I know away from the media, television, and mass consumerism (video games, new cars and rims, clothes, jewelery, etc.). The OP mentioned programming and I think you're dead on brosef. When one provides a logical argument against these 'luxuries' in a peaceful contextual dialogue, you are almost always met with one of two common reactions ( or so it goes in my experience):

1. The individual suddenly turns mute and breaks eye contact. It's as though shame wells inside when you mention the obvious, and then immediately, the programming kicks in and you are dismissed. The environment becomes uncomfortable until the subject is dropped.

2. You're simply a crazy conspiracy theorist.

It's unfortunate in my opinion that people can be so blind. However, when you raise an animal to behave a certain way via strict training, it almost always does. I suppose the same could be said of humans despite our cognizant awareness of 'self'. Or perhaps a cognizant awareness of 'self' is what made this all possible to begin with. Or, even more so perhaps, I'm over analyzing everything and starting down some philosophical diatribe that really has no pertinence to the conversation. Thus, I will steer back to the main point:

Americans are brainwashed. We have floated so far out to sea that we can no longer see the shore; bobbing about in an ocean of propaganda. I am sad to say that this year and the coming few in succession will be bumpy indeed. I say this from my own research and from publications and studies done by accredited, tenured, and accepted individuals. These next couple of years will be hard and may decide the future of our country. It most certainly will if individuals continue to worship the external, fabricated, and illusory world they've been taught to exist, think, live, and breathe in. It sucks to save intelligent conversation for internet forums for the lack of topics more evolved than Jay Z, Toyota, or Verizon in the course of human interaction in real life.

reply to post by acapablemind


you'll never reach them all. this is what zealots fail to understand. people realize there are options. they just don't care. perhaps because there are so many. some folks become confused when presented with numerous options, so they just go with the flow.

don't try so hard man. now you know how evangelists feel.

the most common reaction i get from the resolution of such discussion is:

"there's nothing we can do about it."

or

"i'll go insane if i think about it."

you'd think that someone that agrees with you on the subject of brainwashing would become passionate about it. but no... you both go home and play xbox.

Got rid of the TV set years ago, and havent missed it since. Everyone should give it a try, its liberating.

reply to post by gravykraken


I feel ya there. Not everyone has the capability to be save. However, it is disheartening to end the majority of questions. But then again, I suppose that it is just the effect of good brainwashing?

Good post. thanks.
I believe "distraction" was part of a plan to keep us too preoccupied to think for ourselves, keep us slaving and chasing the solicited carrots of product advertising. I used to be able to just "turn it off" like when I got rid of my TV. Now I am noticing more and more marketing on the web. There used to be 15-30 second advertisements and now they are increasing in frequency and duration(1-3 minutes). I love Pandora, but even they are increasing ad time now. I know, I know, they are business trying to make a living and I am not one to scold all marketing efforts, it is what it is.

However, where is the limit? TPTB know more and more people are waking up and spending money more conservatively, dodging advertisements and not buying everything being sold to them. I'm afraid things will wind up like some sci-fi flicks, with billboards and banners EVERYWHERE! They(Coca Cola) tried for the moon once right? I still get amazed whenever I do watch a commercial as to who actually got sold on it, because I see them as absurd and antiquated and even a bit insulting. But I guess as long as the PT Barnum notion continues("There's a sucker born every minute") the madness will continue. Someone once pointed out to stop for just a minute, and do a visual scan around your setting. How many product names do you see? Even in my house, I can not rest my gaze anywhere without consciously and sub- consciously seeing marketing slogans and names.

Distractions, yes I am so aware of this I wrote a song about it. How the heck can we even think a thought all the way through these days. We are so distracted we are living mostly reactionary lives. No time for contemplation, visualization, recreation or proper management of our own lives. No wonder so many people come home and veg in front of a TV, the great escape. Only they are bombarded with more of the "problem" than any "solutions."

For me, a documentary by N. Chompsky called Manufactured Consent, was a pinnacle moment of realization, a red pill film, if you will, analyzing why so many think the way they do and what drives so many people's desires. It's not an absolute but it makes a strong case for "manufactured consent" via television, and offers a great peak behind the veil, at Oz, the propaganda god
Peace

MANUFACTURED CONSENT
www.hulu.com...


[edit on 25-5-2010 by speculativeoptimist]

I can only surmise things from my own personal experience, and that was of being completely addicted to the TV a few years ago. Every available minute was spent watching something, even if there was nothing on that I was interested in. To this day, I can't be in a room with a TV and not have it turned on, but I tend to stick to nature and survival programmes these days. I am slowly moving away from the cheap thrills of reality TV.

I know why people love these shows though. It's the carrot leading the donkey, only you will never ever get to the carrot, but you'll pay for it in some way, either by giving the TV channel ratings or by phoning in and voting for someone who doesn't even care that you're alive, thus generating revenue for the station and giving them the impression that Simon Cowell and his ilk must be some sort of Gods. To be fair, people do treat him as such, and it is wholly undeserved because he is one of the main reasons that this world is becoming devoid of true talent and artistic innovation.

Then there's the vague dream and pointless hope that fame is accesible through the medium of TV. Not only does the carrot lead the donkey, but it also makes the viewers feel like they too could become the carrot and in turn, lead other donkeys. Shows that promote "talent" do nothing but lure in the gullible and the arrogant.

I won't even get started on adverts.

I do play video games though. Far from being a distraction, they help me focus, even though admittedly my attention is definately being held with more donkey carrot shennanigans, but we all have to get our releases somewhere.

All great additions to the thread!

I try to steer clear of my television just because all the programming is junk.

Although, I also play video games now and then.


Look at the way each generation is raised, then look at the programming on the TV.
It basically runs hand in hand.
I should make a comparison and post it for each decade. (maybe I will)

These days, you have people who grew up watching TV, telling you that it's okay to be materialistic, excessive, ultra sexual, and consumer bound! Not to mention complacent. I'm not forcing any opinions on people, but if it wasn't for TV, these thoughts would still be Taboo.
If it wasn't for TV, people wouldn't grow up thinking that all life is about is:
Big House, Flashy cars, Lots of Money, and Designer Clothing.
Oh yeah and going eyeball deep in debt for those things!

Life is NOT all about those materialistic things.
You can thank TV programming for that.

... not to take a dump in the sandbox, but isn't ATS, along with most of the rest of the interwebs a big ol' fat distraction as well?

some people lose their jobs because they become so absorbed in certain video games that they literally check out of reality. some have lost way more than their jobs in pursuit of satisfying similar compulsive behavior. at least the xbox doesn't break your legs if you miss a payment.

is this a new phenomena? probably not. gaming was around long before the age of video.

perhaps it is safe to say that as with most things distraction in moderation remains recreational, in overindulgence it becomes a vice.