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The Plugged In Show, Episode 168: Screens, Teens & Consumerism plus Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers”

LISTEN TO THE PLUGGED IN SHOW, EPISODE 168

As parents, we worry about a lot of things when it comes to our kids. And that can be especially true of the images and ideas that they’re exposed to via technology and entertainment. We don’t want them wandering into pornography, for example. Or being harmed by too much social media engagement. Or absorbing graphically sexual or violent imagery.

But there’s another issue lurking out there that might not be so obvious. We might call it the Gospel of Stuff. It tempts us to think, “If only I had this, or that, life would be complete.” This message of consumerism is woven into the fabric of any foray online, so much a part of the digital “water” we swim in that we might not even notice it. While the threat of consumerism may not seem as dangerous as the other things I noted, this mindset does indeed entice us—and our kids—to embrace a false gospel, one that can never deliver on its promises of satisfaction. And we’ll be talking about exactly that in our first segment.

In our second segment this week, Plugged In reviewer Kristin Smith brings us up to speed on Miley Cyrus’ latest hit single, “Flowers.”

So give this week’s show a listen, then tell us what you think. What do you think about consumerism and how it shapes our kids’ hearts today? Have you listened to Cyrus’ new song or seen the racy video that accompanies it? You can share your thoughts on Plugged In’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, or shoot us an email at [email protected].

You can also contact Focus on the Family by phone at 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459) if there any family-oriented questions or issues you’d like to talk about. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to check out the links below related to our conversation this week!

Additional Resources:

adam-holz
Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

One Response

  1. This kind of bugs me, and I’ve mentioned it before. Isn’t Christianity (or at least as it’s often expressed in western conservative circles) about individual responsibility and choice and free will? And then it seems like that goes out the window when we start talking about advertising and media influence, as if advertisers are secretly controlling our minds and actions.

    I once was at home watching a tv show, and a commercial came on for a new pepperoni crusted deep dish pizza at Little Caesars. When I saw it I thought, “That looks good, maybe I’ll have that for dinner” and I went out and got one that evening. So, did the commercial “influence me”?? I guess you can say it did; certainly I would not have gone out and bought a pizza for dinner that night if I had not seen that commercial. But did the commercial “make” me get the pizza?? I believe the answer to that is a decisive and resounding NO! The commercial did not “make” me do anything, I chose, of my own free will, because I thought that the pizza looked good, to spend my money and buy a pizza for myself. Did the commercial create a want that didn’t exist? Only just in the sense that it told me about a pizza I didn’t know about before, but I *already* liked pizza, especially pepperoni. the commercial did not MAKE me like pepperoni pizza. If the commercial had been about broccoli pizza, I think I would have passed. A commercial, I think generally, is not going to “make” you want something that you didn’t already have the capacity to like or want already. And if I go crazy and suddenly start spending all my money on Little Cesar’s pizzas and gain weight and ruin my health, should the people who made the commercial feel or be held morally responsible for my behavior? I think also NO; I am responsible for my choices and actions. Commercials and advertising don’t MAKE you do anything, I don’t think we should blame and scapegoat advertisers for our own actions.