Are we Being Manipulated or Informed?
Updated: Oct 1, 2020
A lot is happening in our world and we're inundated with news. Are we being manipulated or informed?
What you focus on is what becomes powerful. Serious research backs this truth. It's called experience-dependent neuroplasticity.
For all of us, the implications are personally meaningful and profound.
Everything you experience alters your brain’s physical structure.
· What you do.
· People you spend time with.
· Your feelings that you focus on.
· Your thoughts.
· What you hear.
· What you read.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Neuroscience has discovered that the brain is changeable. Until recent history, it was believed that the brain changes very little. Research has shown that structures of neurons grow and that neuron structures can also shrink through what we’re exposed to and through what we think about.
What we read, listen to, think about, experience and feelings that we focus on grow neuron structures which influence us.
The good news is that we can choose what to focus upon. We can decided where to put our attention. We can set personal goals related to neuron growth for a desired result, plan how we will achieve our goals and deliberately choose what we allow in through our mind gate.
The Bible calls this “Renewing your mind,” (Romans 12:2). You can renew your mind and change your life.
This is exactly what the Bible teaches. Science has a scientific name for it…Experience-Dependent Neuroplasticity. But thousands of years ago, God called it transformation through the renewing of your mind.
Studies by Dr. Caroline Leaf, a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist with a Masters and PhD in Communication Pathology, and a BSc Logopaedics has studied this extensively.
Dr. Leaf has studied neuroplasticity extensively. Her research is well documented and respected. Her book, Who Switched Off My Brain, a tool for eliminating toxic thoughts and bringing emotional healing, is a favorite of mine.
It helped me understand why memories from long ago are still painful and how to heal those memories. I learned how to remove fear triggers and how to experience a greater sense of well-being.
A number of years ago, I used the information in her book, along with the Bible, to teach a series of classes on God’s Powerful Tool—the Brain. I recommend her book, Who Switched Off My Brain.
· *Go here to see or purchase her paperback book:https://amzn.to/3gCJimp
· Audiobook: https://amzn.to/30zhIkx
· For her book and workbook: https://amzn.to/3a2V4E3
NEWS MEDIA INFLUENCES PUBLIC OPINION!
· MEDIA knows this.
· POLITICIANS know this.
· I'm convinced that there are powerful people in our world wanting Americans to be open to ideals that are in contradiction with a Judeo-Christian worldview.
U.S. media outlets—even small ones—sway public discussion.
That’s the conclusion of a 5-year study:
“When news organizations ran a number of stories on controversial topics like water quality and climate change in close succession, they significantly boosted public conversations about these topics—and… (altered) public opinion.” (Brackets my own.)
From, https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/11/small-news-outlets-influence-us-more-we-think
Are we being manipulated or informed?
Why have morals declined and values dramatically changed in the U.S.? Who is behind the dumbing down of our beliefs about right and wrong, good and evil?
Why is #COVID-19 on everyone’s mind…daily?
Why does a poll by the Pew Research Center show results indicating that “Americans’ high attention to news about the George Floyd protests are about on par with recent high attention to COVID-19 outbreak? https://pewrsr.ch/2F0vt3p
Another way to put it, Why did the media keep producing news and reports about the George Floyd protests at the same intensity as they produced COVID-19 news?
Why do 2/3rds of Americans, who were polled, believe that the U.S. presidential elections will be interrupted by COVID? https://pewrsr.ch/3gBnS9k
I’ll tell you why…because that’s what we have been told, and told, and told, and told. Even if we’ve not been paying attention to what the news media and social media outlets distribute, our sweet little hearts have seen the reports enough times to believe, to be concerned, to be fearful, to be angry.
The polls say the media has done an excellent job of distributring news on these issues to us. Do you understand what this means? It means they've exposed us frequently to the topics.
Daily news updates are sent to my phone. Since February, there has been a daily deluge of COVID related news, with rare exceptions. For about two months, it was George Floyd, daily. They didn’t stop the COVID reports. It was COVID and George Floyd. Then they added daily updates about Protests. And they always report on President Trump.
A couple weeks ago, I actually read an update that didn’t include the reporter's opinion of the president. There were zero emotional triggers with the article. It was refreshing to read something without someone deciding for me how I should feel.
I challenge you to ask the hard questions?
Start with, Why is the news keeping those topics infront of us? Why do they report it with emotional triggers? Why not just write the facts wthout slanting those facts in a certain direction?
Think!
For a moment, forget what others have said and what others have theorized about why the media is inundating us with that type of reporting. Set aside what you’ve read or heard about possible reasons so that you can draw your own conclusions.
Don’t partner with fear, conspiracies, or anxiety. But do think. For. Yourself.
Now what are you going to do about it? You can go along with being shaped into the mold that certain entities want you to fit into, or you can fight back and win.
How will you win?
By using neuroscience discoveries. That’s how. Well, that’s what I hope you will do. And by following the instructions given to us by our Creator.
Think on whatever is good. Think about whatever is lovely. (Can we agree that thinking about love produces some pretty wonderful feelings?) Reflect on whatever is worthy of your praise or God’s praise. Put into your think tank whatever is noble. Ruminate on truth. (Just make sure your truth is good, is lovely, is worthy of praise…). Think about whatever is a good report. Philippians 4:8
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Romans 12:9
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 6:22
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
An important note to parents and to those who care for them:
“The influence of the media on the psychosocial development of children is profound. Thus, it is important for physicians to discuss with parents their child’s exposure to media and to provide guidance on age-appropriate use of all media, including television, radio, music, video games and the Internet,” from the National Center for Biotechnology Information
How does watching television, playing videos, etc influence a child?
If we’re being shaped by what we read, hear, feel, and think about, what is happening to children is alarming. Please set boundaries around electronic devices and media exposure so that your children to protect them. Doing so will motivate them to play, to use their imaginations, to problem solve and develop cognitive skills. All these benefits go along with playing with toys, doing crafts, building with blocks, boxes, and other things, and using their imaginations.
When you turn off the T.V. and video games, you give your children an incentive to use areas of their brains that are not used while engaging in passive activities. Doing so has other benefits as well. It improves their physical health, burns off energy so they are better able to concentrate and, helps them with coordination and skills that they need for life.
Who Switched off Your Brain? Perhaps, we need to switch off the news for a while, our televisions and computer devices.
We adults would be healthier for doing so.
To learn how to get free from toxic emotions or trauma, I highy recommend Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book, Who Switched Off My Brain.
· For the paperback book go here: https://amzn.to/3gCJimp
· Audiobook: https://amzn.to/30zhIkx
· For her book and workbook: https://amzn.to/3a2V4E3
God bless you.
Remember you are dearly loved,
Pamela Koefoed
Copyright 2020 Pamela Koefoed
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