Fear and the Media....

Up late and couldn’t sleep so I decide to write. Note to self don’t drink a latte in the middle of the day. Good thing I don’t have to work for the next two weeks due to a virus called the Corona Virus. This is not about that but about Media and Fear. Fear is false evidence appearing real. Do you feel the Media plays on peoples’ fears? I do and I will tell you why.

The mind is so complex but simple at the same time. The saying goes: say something or see something more than seven times and it becomes embedded in your memory. It reminds of the scene in the movie Focus starring Will Smith. He used visual and music to get his mark to subliminally see the number he wanted him to see and remember to win the bet. Another great example is from one of my favorite shows Leverage where the character Nate used the same technique to get his mark to change his password. I used these examples to show that the mind is very impressionable if not strong to be able to think for yourself.

Media does use the same techniques the movie Focus and Leverage used. They show you the same information over and over again until that is all you are thinking about. They you see in on Instagram and Facebook and Twitter or you are talking about it with you family friends and coworkers. Now if you are not careful it consumes you and if you are not an overall positive person you start to create this story line in your head. Fear starts to creep in, and you start to panic. So, when the news reports schools and business close for two weeks you go to the stores and buy things you never ever buy. But in your mind your repeating what the news and what everyone has been saying about the virus, so you overthink and overspending. So, at what point would you stop yourself and think do I really need 100 rolls of toilet paper when I live alone? You let fear of the unknown take over your thinking instead of using common sense. But is common sense common anymore?

Since this virus has been the big if not huge topic of 2020, the Media is making sure people always knows the latest. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to be informed. You want to have information to make the best decision in life. But how much information is too much information? However, my issue or concern with media is the fear it gives people. We all walk around with something in our body everyday and it does not stop us from living “normal.” Zika was big in 2016 and all over the news. People feared for their life as the traveled to warmer states and countries. Once the news stopped reporting it people got back to normal, but I bet you the virus is still around. STDs and other viruses are still in our life, but some still don’t protect themselves from that. The unknown is still out there but people take the risk. So, my question is why the panic with this? Answer: media controls what we fear and what we don’t fear.

People if you are reading this: Let’s get back to thinking for ourselves and just using media as a resource. Let’s get back to questioning the quality of the information and not believing Everything we see. And please, please stop taking all the almond milk and all the wipes and toilet in the stores. Sharing is caring. I can’t find my favorite brand in target lol.