Electronic entertainment is a huge industry in modern-times. Unfortunately, I don't believe we even come close to understanding the negative psychological affects of electronic entertainment. Many people write it off as ...
"it's just television.."
"it's just music.."
"it's just the internet.."
"it's just video games.."
All of these things, I believe, cause an over-stimulation of the brain. Our brains are simply not intended for these sorts of sensory stimulation. As far as mental health is concerned, we have seen a rise in..
-Anxiety disorders
-ADD/ADHD
-Depression
-Lack of motivation
...to name a few.
I believe the overstimulating affects of electronic entertainment can cause all of those problems. Young children's brains are especially vulnerable to the affects of electronic entertainment (their brains are still developing). Essentially, our brains wire to accommodate the things we experience (what we sense, and how we react). And the type of sensory stimulation we seek out from electronic entertainment is not necessarily conductive of good mental health, but rather for the type of feeling we desire to experience. Many people blame electronic entertainment (like those listed above) for having a bad influence, but it is them who is reacting to the consumer's desires. Fox News, for example, tries to promote the most worry-producing stories they can. Why? Because the consumers of Fox News are more interested in viewing those types of stories because they are EXCITING!!
At the end of the day, the type of electronic entertainment we consume depends on the way we want to feel. The most popular feelings that people want to experience today are the "adrenaline rush" and "sexual arousal". Both of these desired feelings, when experienced on a constant basis, are not healthy for an individual or society. Just because a food taste good doesn't mean it is good for you, and the same goes for electronic entertainment.
"it's just television.."
"it's just music.."
"it's just the internet.."
"it's just video games.."
All of these things, I believe, cause an over-stimulation of the brain. Our brains are simply not intended for these sorts of sensory stimulation. As far as mental health is concerned, we have seen a rise in..
-Anxiety disorders
-ADD/ADHD
-Depression
-Lack of motivation
...to name a few.
I believe the overstimulating affects of electronic entertainment can cause all of those problems. Young children's brains are especially vulnerable to the affects of electronic entertainment (their brains are still developing). Essentially, our brains wire to accommodate the things we experience (what we sense, and how we react). And the type of sensory stimulation we seek out from electronic entertainment is not necessarily conductive of good mental health, but rather for the type of feeling we desire to experience. Many people blame electronic entertainment (like those listed above) for having a bad influence, but it is them who is reacting to the consumer's desires. Fox News, for example, tries to promote the most worry-producing stories they can. Why? Because the consumers of Fox News are more interested in viewing those types of stories because they are EXCITING!!
At the end of the day, the type of electronic entertainment we consume depends on the way we want to feel. The most popular feelings that people want to experience today are the "adrenaline rush" and "sexual arousal". Both of these desired feelings, when experienced on a constant basis, are not healthy for an individual or society. Just because a food taste good doesn't mean it is good for you, and the same goes for electronic entertainment.
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