When I get up in the morning, I grab a cup of coffee, and sit down to take a look at what is happening in the world via my computer. I often go to Yahoo, to check my email. There, I am bombarded with stories like "The One Word Kim Kardashian Used to Silence Fat Shamers", or "Lana Del Ray Lives in Her Garage", or "Hillary Clinton Seen Driving a Scooby Doo Van". I know I am not the only looking at this, and thinking Kim's at it again. Lana was weird anyway. Hillary's new campaign.
These stories are so ridiculous. They are. And WE KNOW IT! Here's a question I've been asking my self lately. Why do we do it?
The media has turned it self into what we might call culture. They see themselves as "reporters". Sometimes they are, but sites and magazines like Yahoo and Us Weekly are posers. They are "reporting" Kylie Jenner's new hair color for the week. They are "reporting" Taylor Swift's new boyfriend. They are "reporting" Justin Beiber's current mental state. Notice they don't spend hardly anytime on what really matters, like presidential candidates (this doesn't include "reporting" Scooby Doo vans), shootings, the war, among other things. They don't report it, because they don't want us thinking about because it's not fun to read.
My generation is being raised off of "news" that doesn't affect them at all, where as things like like politics and national safety certainly does. This is frightening, because before we know it, we aren't going to be the future of America anymore, we will be America. All the while, the media knows precisely what they are doing: they are dumbing us down.
How To Avoid Being Dumbed
1. Get off the computer
The average American adult spends 11 HOURS online, according to mashable.com. ELEVEN. Pause, for a second. I do understand that a large portion of that time is for work purposes, but you also have to wonder how many of those hours is spent on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, et cetra.
The first rule in the avoidance of dumbage (yes, I made up the word, stick with me here.) is, obviously, get off your device, whether it be a phone, PC, laptop, tablet, you name it, throw it out the window. Okay, please, not literally, just proverbially.
2. Be Un- Cool
Yes, I know it's hard, and you'll look "dumb" but you'll be very, very smart. Picture this:everyone's talking about George Clooney's wife's dress and how, oh no (!), it looks just like T. Swift's! GASP!!!!!!
Now you walk in as everyone is hyperventilating, and asks what's wrong. KittyKat305 (You don't have real names, because after all, you rarely talk to each other; you chat on Twitter) says, "Amal Clooney is wearing the same dress as Taylor!" She passes out.
You ask them, "Who the heck is Amal Clooney?" Eyes widen, jaws drop, terrible, horrible laughing ensues.
Well, my dear, you just accomplished two things for the price of one. First of all, you friends wonder why you don't know who this Clooney chick is, and you have also succeeded in being very smart for not knowing who she is.
(This is not a bash on those who like to keep up with pop culture, because, I'll admit that I have ((and sometimes still am)) one of those people who get all hot and bothered by something silly like that. The only point of this is to show how shallow and meaningless it is, not to make fun of you.)
3. Stop the Haters- Hating and the Shamers- Shaming
Everyone is offended by everything. Yes, people can be mean online, yes, they have no life, and no, don't call them names. I hate phrases like "body shamer" or "hater". It is like fingernails on a chalkboard.
So very quickly, I am not, under any circumstances, condoning jerks on the internet. They are mean, rude, and disrespectful. I do get that. People, for whatever reason, feel it's okay to be animals toward each other online because they can't see each other. I know that cyber bullying is real, and that it does hurt. However, we don't need to be so sensitive. Unfortunately, people are mean online, but chances are, they wouldn't say it to your face.
We are entitled to our own opinions, so you can call me a hater and a shamer all you want, but name calling is characteristic of a six year old. It does not fly as an adult. You sound like a small child not getting your way when you do it. Please. Stop.
4. Please Limit Videogame Activity
Videogames are one of the most frightening threats to my generation. Teen boys and videogames seem to go hand in hand. Unfortunately, this is prohibiting them from being realistic, and they live in a fantasy. Because of violent games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, they result in horrific crimes like the Sandyhook shooting.
Videogames are fine if they are not played all the time. It's like eating chocolate, it's fine if you have some, but if you eat steady diet of it, it will make you sick.
Don't let the media dumb you down. Their goal is to make us a bunch of docile couch potatoes. The only question I have left for you is, will you let them?