Heart Healthy Media Detox

Media and Information

We live in an age with unprecedented access to information. We are bombarded daily with a relentless stream of media; from the news we consume to the social media feeds we scroll. But what if this constant flood of information is actually harming us more than we realize? What if the media we rely on for information and connection is subtly manipulating our emotions and shaping our worldview?

The Media’s Manipulation Tactics

It’s no secret that the media thrives on generating clicks and capturing our attention. Their primary goal is to attract and retain viewers, often by any means necessary. This often translates into a reliance on sensationalism, negativity, and tactics that trigger our most primal emotions: fear, rage, shame, and loneliness.

Think about the headlines that grab your attention. Are they often filled with fear, outrage, or controversy? This is no accident. These emotions trigger a powerful response in our brains, making us more likely to click, share, and keep coming back for more.

But the consequences of this constant exposure to negativity go far beyond just increased engagement. It can subtly shape our perceptions, fuel our anxieties, and even distort our view of the world.

Playing on Our Primal Fears

Why are fear, rage, shame, and loneliness such effective tools for media manipulation? Because they tap into our most primal instincts. These emotions are deeply ingrained in our evolutionary wiring, designed to protect us from danger and ensure our survival.

• Fear: Alerts us to potential threats, keeping us vigilant and safe.
• Rage: Fuels our fight-or-flight response, giving us the energy to defend ourselves.
• Shame: Keeps us in line with social norms, preventing us from being ostracized by our social group.
• Loneliness: Motivates us to seek connection and belonging, essential for our well-being.

While these emotions serve a valuable purpose, they can also be easily exploited.

• Fear: Constant exposure to news stories about crime, disasters, and political instability can leave us feeling perpetually afraid and vulnerable.
• Rage: Outrage-driven content and inflammatory rhetoric can fuel anger and resentment towards those we perceive as different or opposed to our views.
• Shame: Social media often presents an idealized version of reality, leading to feelings of inadequacy and shame about our own lives.
• Loneliness: While social media can connect us, it can also amplify feelings of loneliness and isolation when we compare ourselves to others.

Media outlets understand this and often use these primal triggers to capture our attention and keep us engaged, even if it leaves us feeling anxious, angry, or depleted. That initial dopamine hit we get from scrolling quickly fades, leaving us feeling empty and unfulfilled.

Story: Summer of the Shark

The year was 2001, and a series of shark attacks along the U.S. coastline triggered a media frenzy. News outlets amplified the incidents, fueling public perception of a surge in shark attacks. However, data revealed a different story.

The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF) documented 50 shark attacks in the United States in 2001, with 52 occurring the year before.^[1] These stats were not shocking and have averaged around the same incident frequency since.

The issue wasn’t a surge in aggressive sharks, but a feeding frenzy of media sensationalism. Despite the statistical consistency, the media narrative shaped public perception. The heightened attention to shark attacks created a climate of fear, leading to beach closures, canceled events, and economic repercussions for coastal communities.

Marine biologists and researchers emphasized that the perceived increase in attacks resulted from increased media coverage, not an actual rise in shark aggression. Despite these efforts, the “Summer of the Shark” narrative persisted, demonstrating the power of media in shaping public opinion, even when data contradicted the prevailing narrative.

The Emotional Fallout

Thich Nhat Hanh, in Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child discusses how many people try to escape their suffering by overindulging in food or entertainment. When faced with feelings of loneliness, sadness, emptiness, frustration, or fear, they seek temporary relief by watching movies or eating. This is a common way of coping with their inner turmoil, a way to numb the pain, despair, anger, and depression they feel. They turn to distractions like music, food, media, or even books–they consume anything to avoid confronting it. The unpleasantness of dealing with their internal feelings makes even uninteresting television shows a welcome escape; any distraction is better. However, this constant consumption only exacerbates the problem. Instead of providing relief, it exposes them to harmful influences such as violence, intense cravings, despair, and discrimination, ultimately worsening their initial suffering.[2]

When we are constantly bombarded with stories of violence, disaster, and conflict, it’s natural to feel a sense of fear and vulnerability. Similarly, outrage-driven content can stoke anger and resentment, leading to increased polarization and division.

Social media, with its curated portrayals of perfect lives, can also contribute to feelings of inadequacy and shame. And while it can connect us with others, it can also amplify feelings of loneliness and isolation when we compare ourselves to the carefully constructed online personas of others.

We may not consciously buy into the narratives presented, but the emotions they evoke linger, leaving us feeling anxious, angry, or even hopeless. These emotions, even if triggered by a brief news story or social media post, can linger long after we’ve closed our laptops or put down our phones. They can seep into our subconscious, coloring our thoughts and influencing our behavior.

The Constructed Narrative

When we experience these negative emotions, we often seek explanations to make sense of them. This can lead us to construct narratives that justify our feelings, even if those narratives are based on incomplete or distorted information.

For example, if we’re constantly exposed to fear-mongering news about crime, we may start to believe that the world is a much more dangerous place than it actually is. Or if we’re bombarded with outrage-driven content about a particular political group, we may develop an exaggerated sense of animosity towards them.

These narratives, once formed, can be difficult to shake off. They can influence our decisions, shape our relationships, and even limit our ability to empathize with others.

Taking Control of Our Media Consumption

This is why we are called to hold every thought captive. We must be vigilant about the information we consume and the sources we trust.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 – ³ Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; ⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments ⁵ and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. (NRSV)

Chris Benfield shared in a sermon, “This war isn’t being waged with conventional means. It isn’t fought in the flesh . . . This battle is being waged in the hearts and minds of people . . . Always be aware of what you are exposed to, seeing and hearing. Those things enter the mind and find a lodging place in the heart.”^[3]

So how can we protect ourselves from the negative effects of the media? The key lies in being mindful of our consumption habits and taking active steps to cultivate a healthy relationship with information.

• Choose your sources wisely: Seek out reliable, unbiased sources of information and avoid those that rely on sensationalism or emotional manipulation.
• Limiting your exposure: Be intentional about the time we spend consuming news and social media. Take breaks, disconnect, and engage in activities that nourish our minds and souls.
• Focusing on the positive: Actively seek out content that inspires, uplifts, and promotes hope and compassion. Cultivate gratitude for the good things in our lives and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Proverbs 4:23 – ²³Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. (NET)

Charles Spurgeon shares a vivid image: “You have seen the great reservoirs provided by our water companies, from which the water which is to supply hundreds of streets and thousands of houses is kept. Now, the heart is just the reservoir of man, and our life is allowed to flow in its proper season. That life may flow through different pipes—the mouth, the hand, the eye; but still all the issues of hand, of eye, of lip, derive their source from the great fountain and central reservoir, the heart; and hence there is no difficulty in showing the great necessity that exists for keeping this reservoir, the heart, in a proper state and condition, since otherwise that which flows through the pipes must be tainted and corrupt.”^[4]

Informed, Not Overwhelmed

It’s important to stay informed about current events, but we must be careful not to become consumed by them. Whether it’s election news, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises, the 24/7 news cycle can easily overwhelm us with negative emotions.

Unlike previous generations, we are exposed to the suffering of the world on a global scale. While this awareness can inspire compassion and action, it can also lead to emotional fatigue and a sense of helplessness.

The key is to find a balance. Stay informed enough to be aware of important issues and act, when possible, but don’t allow yourself to be drowned in a sea of negativity. We can donate to worthwhile causes, volunteer our time, and offer prayers without becoming overwhelmed by the weight of the world’s problems.

Rewired to Gratitude

Gratitude is more than just a fleeting feeling of appreciation. It’s a mindset, a way of looking at the world that focuses on the positive and acknowledges the good things in our lives. And it’s a powerful antidote to the negativity that pervades much of the media landscape.

Research has shown that cultivating gratitude can have a profound impact on our well-being.^[5]

• Improved physical health: Reduced stress, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and stronger immune systems.
• Enhanced mental health: Lower rates of depression and anxiety, increased happiness and optimism.
• Stronger relationships: Increased empathy, compassion, and feelings of connection.
• Greater resilience: Improved ability to cope with stress and adversity.

But how do we cultivate gratitude? It starts with being intentional about noticing and appreciating the good things in our lives. This could be as simple as taking a moment each day to reflect on what we’re thankful for, writing in a gratitude journal, or expressing our appreciation to others.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (NRSV)

John Broadus shared in a sermon, “To have what we like is for the most part an impossible dream of human life; to like what we have is a possibility, and not only a duty, but a high privilege.”^[6]

It means shifting our focus away from what we lack and towards what we have. Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong with our lives or the world, we can choose to focus on the blessings, big and small, that surround us, that God has given us.

This might mean appreciating the love of our family and friends, the beauty of nature, the kindness of strangers, or even the simple pleasures of a good meal or a sunny day. It might mean acknowledging our own strengths and accomplishments or recognizing the challenges we’ve overcome.

As we cultivate gratitude, we begin to see the world through a different lens. We become more aware of the abundance that surrounds us and less susceptible to the negativity that bombards us. We also become more mindful of our relationships, appreciating the people who love and support us. This conscious behavior rewires our brains, establishing positive habits that benefit us long-term.

A Call to Unity

In a world increasingly divided by political strife, social unrest, and ideological differences, followers of Jesus have an opportunity to stand out as image bearers of unity and love. But to do so, we must resist the temptation to be consumed by fear, anger, and negativity.

Philippians 4:8 – ⁸ Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (NRSV)

Bruce Barton in the Life Application New Testament Commentary comments:

“Believers should fix their thoughts on things that are:

• True. Truth includes facts and statements that are in accordance with reality (not lies, rumors, or embellishments), sincere (not deceitful or with evil motives), and loyal, faithful, proper, reliable, and genuine. Truth is a characteristic of God.
• Honorable. These matters are worthy of respect, dignified, and exalted in character or excellence.
• Right. Thoughts and plans that meet God’s standards of rightness. They are in keeping with the truth; they are righteous.
• Pure. Free from contamination or blemish; unmixed and unmodified; wholesome. Paul probably was speaking of moral purity, often very difficult to maintain in thoughts.
• Lovely. Thoughts of great moral and spiritual beauty, not of evil.
• Admirable. Things that speak well of the thinker—thoughts that recommend, give confidence in, afford approval or praise, reveal positive and constructive thinking. A believer’s thoughts, if heard by others, should be admirable, not embarrassing.
• Excellent. Moral excellence; nothing of substandard quality.
• Worthy of praise. This phrase may be restated as “anything that deserves the thinker’s praise” or “anything that God deems praiseworthy.”^[7]

Imagine a world where believers, instead of being consumed by fear and division, were known for their love, unity, and compassion. Imagine if we could respect each other’s theological differences and stand together as a light shining before others in this fractured world. This is the vision Jesus calls us to in Matthew 5:14-16.

Let us be mindful of the media we consume and choose to focus on what is good, true, and beautiful. Only then can we truly be the light of the world and begin to fulfill part of Christ’s greatest commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.

---

[1] John Albert Broadus, Sermons and Addresses, 2nd ed. (Baltimore: H. M. Wharton & Co., 1887), 48.

[2] Thich Nhat Hanh, Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child (Berkeley, California: Parallax Press, 2006).

^[3] Chris Benfield, “The Warfare on the Home-Front (2 Corinthians 10:3–5),” in Pulpit Pages: New Testament Sermons (Mount Airy, NC: Chris Benfield, 2015), 962.

^[4] C. H. Spurgeon, “The Great Reservoir,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 4 (London; Glasgow: Passmore & Alabaster; James Paul; George John Stevenson; George Gallie, 1858), 113.

[5] John Albert Broadus, Sermons and Addresses, 2nd ed. (Baltimore: H. M. Wharton & Co., 1887), 48.

[6] John Albert Broadus, Sermons and Addresses, 2nd ed. (Baltimore: H. M. Wharton & Co., 1887), 48.

^[7] Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 861.