I think the biggest problem our generation faces is the abundance of entertainment. Don't get me wrong, I love TV and video games as much as the next person. I just think we have a problem using them in moderation. Entertainment is everywhere. People can carry the internet in their pocket. That's not an inherently evil thing, but sometimes people let it consume their lives.
I guess in a broader way, the problem isn't really entertainment or media. Our generation struggles with impulse control. We have a hard time setting aside what we want to do for what needs to get done. There are definitely many people who are capable of controlling their impulses, but the abundance of distractions available makes it a much more prevalent challenge than before. This lack of ability to control impulses affects every aspect of our lives. We need to be able to get off facebook long enough to do our homework or turn off the TV long enough to visit someone who might need us.
This problem can definitely be solved, although the solution may seem simple. The ability to control impulses comes through self discipline and practice. Everyone needs to become aware of their habits and how they affect them and those around them. Practice makes perfect.
I am definitely with you in that impulse control is getting out of hand. I feel like the only source of motivation strong enough to get people to control their impulses would be them losing their jobs because of it or something like that. People are usually lazy until they play with fire. Great analysis though.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the problem here is not the availability of entertainment as much as the lack of personal self control. I loved your comments!
ReplyDeleteI liked how you talked about our lack of control in using entertainment. There will always be entertainment at our fingertips, we just have to be smart as to when and where to use it.
ReplyDeleteThis goes along perfectly with Matt's post too! The question now is, how do we train our impulse control on a regular basis? Do we need a facebook timer that automatically logs us out after twenty minutes?
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