The Public is the Worst - Zelda Peach
I really enjoyed this week's readings, particularly the one about the Magdalia and her books. There are so many fantastic one-liners inside it that I feel as if I might start quoting it all the time. The Criticism work was the same way too, I felt as if I was reading something more modern as the level of sarcasm from Erasmus was extremely high. My favorite thing that I read though, was what Magalia told Antronius when he was arguing that the "public" agreed with him about his views on women. Magalia responded to this remark by saying,
"Why cite the public, the worst possible authority on conduct?" (p.30).
I love that line. It is the perfect reminder that just because something is popular, that does not mean that it is right. Often times in today's world there will be many things that are "popular conduct" that are not good at all. For example, I would say that getting drunk, high, or sleeping around are all "popular" things to do in the eyes of culture. All three of these things are constantly bragged about in movies, TV shows, music, and social media. I am not saying that we should abandon all modern entertainment and go live under a rock, but realizing what we are constantly intaking as a society should probably be considered more often. Whatever your personal beliefs are, it is good to recognize them so that you can hold yourself to a certain standard that you want to follow for yourself. Everyone has a different opinion on what they think is ok to be in a TV show, but if you recognize what is best for you, you can monitor your own media according to that standard. I personally do not think that it is a good idea to impose on other people's free will of what they want to watch, as force is normally not the best way to accomplish things. However, I am curious to know what you all think about media laws and if there should be more or fewer regulations involved. Comment down below what you think. :)
*Note: I completely understand that as a Chrisitan our guidelines for what is morally right or wrong are set in stone (literally). I just like toying around with the idea of what all of these things look like in today's modern and technological world. I am not trying to start any wars, I'm just curious about what this group's opinions are on media guidelines/regulations.
I commented on Eliza and AnnaKate's posts.
I commented on Eliza and AnnaKate's posts.
I like the line you quoted by Magalia. She completely destroyed Antronius' credibility through widely accepted knowledge, such as the lack of wisdom among the public. In regards to the vastly complicated world of today, I understand that many forms of entertainment can seem to occupy somewhat of a gray area in the minds of many believers. To simplify things, I try my best to keep in mind that as followers of Christ, we are called to seek to glorify God in everything we do. I'm not saying that everyone should treat all forms of leisure and technology as sinful, but to examine what we do and our desires behind it. We can truly enjoy the good and simple things God has given us, but we should be weary in compromising our standards by accepting and promoting immorality. This is very difficult, and it would be an understatement to say I struggle with this. We as Christians are called to be holy as Christ is holy, regardless of what is popular to the world.
ReplyDeleteThis quote by Magalia is my favorite one! It is such a good reminder to be aware of where our standards are and what foundation we have for them. As Josh said, as Christians our main goal is to glorify God but often times that means we have to sit out on some of the things that are popular or that the public says is fun. More times than not, the popular music and TV shows are not glorifying to the Lord at all but people have a right to make that choice for themselves whether to listen to/watch it or not.
ReplyDelete-Madison Flowers
I loved that quote from Magdalia! It is so important to remember that the culture around us is so different from the way that Christ wants us to live. As far as media laws are concerned, I feel that too many of them would be a violation of our first amendment rights. Choosing what to watch and listen to is up to the consumer, but ultimately as Christians we have to choose to watch and listen to what will bring glory to God.
ReplyDelete