Making Wise Media Choices

Image by Gary Simmons

So, I promised a follow-up to my post Rantings and Ratings and, while this isn't what I envisioned at the time, I think it will be more calm and rational than that was. If it seems like it's taking you forever to finish this post, be comforted: eternity has no limits, but Google's web servers do.

While my previous post was more of a kneejerk reaction to some poorly conceived comments made elsewhere on the internet, this one attempts to lay out an appropriate method of making media decisions, using sound reasoning where possible. As the hymn says, "Truth is reason."

Despite its length, this post is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the subject. Such an undertaking in a forum like this would be impractical. Instead, I want to put down some principles for your consideration.

Principle 1# Don't Use Ratings (not even "R") as a guide

I know, I know, this is a major departure from what I was saying before. But before you get up in arms over this, please realize that my position hasn't changed very much. I pointed out before that a warning against R rated movies is not a blanket endorsement of everything else. All I'm getting at here is that Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings are not based on the same values espoused by prophets, seers, and revelators. At the time of President Benson's address, I'm sure R was a good rule of thumb, but now things have changed, and not just for the worse. For instance, some R ratings are given not for dirty content, but for themes that are not suitable for children. In fairness, most movies dealing with these themes will likely have some language, violence, or immorality, but it doesn't necessarily follow that this is the case. It's possible to have a conversation about issues that would be unduly troubling to children without using profane means of expression. A certain level of maturity is desirable when dealing with certain topics. On the other hand, what bad there is (and there is a lot) has gotten much, much worse. In some cases, ratings can even be purchased. How's that for an inspiring thought.

Do not mistake me, I am not saying to go out and watch R rated movies. I never have and it's possible that I never will. But remember how many people rushed out to see The Passion of the Christ, even when they'd never seen any other R-rated movie? I wasn't one. Draw your own conclusions. I'm also not saying that President Benson's counsel is outdated or doesn't apply to me. I'm saying that, in the context of the entire address, I don't believe that that one sentence was intended to be the hard-and-fast rule it has become. This idea is reflected near the end of my last post by the series of questions about why we see movies. The statement was important, but I'm not sure it was meant to be a standard worthy of the north-star status we have given it. The comment, as I said before, was made almost in passing.

Now, I know that the idea of context can be manipulated to wrest the scriptures, but it is a true concept. Consider this example, quoted unbroken from the Book of Mormon:

"Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption" (Alma 40:2).

This is a deliberate and carefully worded statement by a prophet of God that can be found in any official Book of Mormon. It is not abridged, misspelled, or distorted in any way. However, it is taken out of context, and horribly so. The full quotation is as follows:

"Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption-until after the coming of Christ."

Those six extra words make a huge difference. They are an integral part of the teaching because they make its meaning clear.

Now, in context, here is the quote I used last time from President Benson's address:

"We counsel you, young men, not to pollute your minds with such degrading matter, for the mind through which this filth passes is never the same afterwards. Don’t see R-rated movies or vulgar videos or participate in any entertainment that is immoral, suggestive, or pornographic."

I can find six words in this quotation that also make a big difference in meaning. They are: degrading, filth, vulgar, immoral, suggestive, pornographic. These words are an itegral part of this teaching because they make its meaning clear. It is the type of movie/entertainment to which these words apply that President Benson was warning against. I hope it is clear that a movie can be rated R and not meet these qualifications.

Not to beat this idea to death, but another reason for not applying the R standard in our decisions is that, for the majority of the church, the standard is meaningless. MPAA ratings only apply to movies that are distributed in the United States, and not even to all of those. Now that most of the membership of the Church resides outside North America, we can hardly expect such a standard to be endorsed by the Brethren. I credit my friend, Trevor Banks, for helping me think of the Church as a global organization, and helping me realize that when the Prophets give their counsel, they do so with the entire Church in mind. Read Trevor's thoughts about this topic here.

Principle #2 Err on the Side of Caution

As mentioned elsewhere on this blog, President Packer has pointed out the importance of staying as far from the edge of evil as possible. This is not a policy of fear, but rather of humility. Pride would have us demonstrate how near the edge we can come without falling. As the unfortunate axiom points out, however, "pride goeth before the fall." True humility, on the other hand, places us safely within the bounds of the Lord's commandments and offers protection from any dangers that happen to make it up the cliff.

What I'm saying here is that if we have doubts about a movie, song, TV show, or other type of media production, we are safer not to partake. In almost all cases the lessons contained in these media that might benefit us can be gained in other ways. I value the ability of media to facilitate the teaching of the Holy Ghost, but there are options. God is not thwarted when we decide not to read a potentially dangerous book or see a suspicious movie. In this case we are giving up at least our own uncertainty and at most a spiritually damaging experience. When we have done all we can to learn about the item and we still are uncomfortable, the safe answer is "no." Getting in to the kingdom of heaven requires a certain amount of missing out on the things of this world.

Principle #3 Do All You Can to Learn Ahead of Time

So how do we find out about media ahead of time if we're not going by ratings? It's not easy. The truth is, ratings try to make us comfortable. They give us a way to avoid thinking and researching which, at least initially, take up a lot of time. They make us complacent.

I'm not trying to be disparaging here. There are a lot of things to think about in our lives and we'd all like a quick and easy way to know whether the song we're listening to or the movie we're about to go see is spiritually damaging for us. Unfortunately, the answer to that question is different for everyone. There are some resources available to us that can help, but I think we should be careful about relying too extensively on any one source. Lets divide these up by media category.

Movies

1. kids-in-mind.com - This site gives objective ratings to movies based on three criteria: sex/nudity, violence/gore, and profanity. The ratings come in the form of three numbers representing these three categories respectively. For example, the recently released Hellboy II: The Golden Army (which I haven't seen, by the way) received a rating of 2.7.4. Included is a detailed (almost ad-nauseum) description of this rating and why it was given. In this case, the sex/nudity rating (2) was given in part because of a kiss on the forehead and a pregnancy test. The violence/gore rating (7) description includes detailed information about what happens and how much of it we see on screen. I mention these things to show that every little detail remotely related to these categories is described, from holding hands to doors being kicked down. When it comes to profanity, the site chronicles the type of word (i.e. religious exclamation, anatomical terms, name calling, even words that are not themselves profane but are intended to sound offensive) and how many instances of such words occur. The site also makes notes about scenes involving substance abuse, themes discussed in the movie, and the overall message. This site does not make value judgments about any movie or content in a movie and it offers plot synopses. The site is run by Critics, Inc., a for-profit company that offers optional subscriptions. The subscriptions to kids-in-mind.com provide advance reviews and eliminate online advertising.
   
2. IMDb.com - The Internet Movie Database is the most exhaustive collection of movie information available. It may or may not be your choice for reviews, but through it you can find out about actors, directors, crew members, etc., as well as find links to official movie sites, ticket sales, trailers, reviews, DVD releases, and more. It is not limited to major Hollywood films and offers news updates, message boards, and IMDb user ratings.
   
3. mediascreen.com - This site is affiliated with kids-in-mind.com and covers DVD releases. It specializes in independent/foreign films, but also covers Hollywood releases.
   
4. critics.com - This site is affiliated with kids-in-mind.com and mediascreen.com and offers a collection of links to movie reviews. The site is currently under construction, but when it reopens it should be one of the most comprehensive collections of reviews available. The company that runs it (Critics, Inc.) is considering expanding beyond movies into reviews of other types of media as well.
   
5. Yahoo! Movies - This site is one of the most major competitors to IMDb, but its main point of differentiation, as far as I'm concerned, is that it offers exclusive clips from movies that have already been released. This allows you to see unedited sections of the movie within a week to a month of its release. Because these clips are not trailers intended as primary marketing tool, they often provide a more accurate idea of the movie's character.

Note: I refrained from listing any sites here of specific reveiwers or that give subjective analysis, as I felt it would undermine the purpose of this post. Many such sites are available, but I leave it to you to find which ones you like. I prefer to find objective comments and form my own opinion.

Music

This is a hard one. There are a lot of places to find music reviews, but they are generally not objective and they tend to deal with albums, which are often a mixed bag, rather than with specific songs. We all know the power of music, but we don't think of songs in the same way as movies. We don't think, "There's a new song out, but I'm concerned that it may not have a message that's compatible with a gospel lifestyle. I'll look in the newspaper and on the internet to learn about it and, if I think it meets my personal criteria, I'll listen to it." Maybe more of that approach would be healthy for us, but many of us just listen to the radio and take the good with the bad. Or we hit "search" when the bad comes on in order to look for something good. I don't know of any place with a comprehensive listing of songs and their themes, and we certainly don't consider ratings in the same way when it comes to music. The only ratings our songs tend to have are in itunes. Maybe we should take more of a "personal rating" approach with movies and more of a "critical rating" approach with music. Songs, after all, have the same potential for exposing us to good or evil as films, and films have the same potential for individual interpretation as music.

Books

You can't hit "play" on a paperback, but it still counts as media.

1. There are many websites that offer book reviews, including yahoo.com, bookreview.com, nytimes.com, bookspot.com, and booklistonline.com. Some of these sites (like booklistonline.com) operate in conjuction with paper publications such as magazines. Because book reviews are invariably subjective and don't focus on lists of content (funny how we do that with some forms of media but not others) I haven't singled out any one resource.

Television

I don't watch a lot of TV. I do that on purpose because I see very little value in it for the amount of damage it potentially does. I think there are some good shows, but the commercial breaks are, I believe, not only annoying but harmful. However, much good has come about as the result of television technology and, as did President Hinckley, I feel that it is a miraculous gift to be able to broadcast the same thing simultaneously all over the world. The potential for good is unlimited, but the usual format of TV programming severely impairs its effectiveness. Not to mention that most TV shows are junk.

In my opinion, of course.

I am sorry to report that in recent years a TV ratings system, analagous to the MPAA movie ratings system has been instituted by the television industry. I repeat, this system is run by the TV industry, not the government. That makes it susceptible to all the same flaws to which the MPAA has fallen prey, with some additional problems because the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board does not itself rate the programs. Rather, "programs are voluntarily rated by broadcast and cable television networks, or program producers" (http://www.tvguidelines.org/). This means that the people that make and broadcast the shows can give them whatever rating they want. The public can complain, but how often do you think that happens? Imagine if movie producers and distributors were given this freedom. I would like to think that most people are honest and responsible, but I'm sure you can see the problems that are built in to this system. Please don't rely on it.

Here are some of my ideas about finding good television, whatever that means.

1. In my opinion, the best way to learn about a show is to go to the website of the network that broadcasts it (or the show itself, if it has one) and learn what you can from what is there. I don't mean believe everything that's there, but use that information to discern as much as possible before watching. Many shows also have fan sites that talk in detail about specific episodes and the general purposes/themes of the show.
   
2. Because TV shows are usually episodic in nature, it is not uncommon to have a perfectly good show one week and a filthy one the next. Usually it's something in between. Don't assume because one episode was good, they will all be good. Look for sources of information outside those created by people with a financial interest in the show. Although watching a show does provide a way to judge it, such judgments based on one episode are not necessarily representative of the whole series. On the other hand, a single episode can be enough to make the whole series spiritually damaging. In today's world of DVR's and on demand cable subscriptions, missing an episode once doesn't mean missing it forever. Learn before you watch.
   
3. I think the best shows are the ones that are designed to end, because it is more likely that each episode will move towards the show's original purpose. In other words, sitcoms or dramas (or any shows) that have no overarching story to tell (by "story" I mean a plotline that runs through and unifies all the episodes and has a built-in, necessary conclusion) can simply continue from week to week or day to day with no real object other than to get ratings and make money. These shows are often empty of edifying value because they are willing to do anything that can be done within the context of the show, instead of doing what should be done to accomplish the show's purpose. By the way, "edifying value" does not include emotionally intense but meaningless conflicts, new and creative ways of killing people, or rapid-fire attempts at making you laugh your head off in my book. These things are more often than not simply intended just to keep you from changing the channel, or at least to watch the clock, estimating whether or not the show is on again yet so you know when to change it back. In other words, they enslave you. Some shows, on the other hand, are like films in that they are designed to tell a larger story or make a larger point in a longer form than the thirty or sixty minute episode. These programs set out a clear goal near the beginning of the series that is followed to its conclusion, at which point the series ends. Sometimes this is done over three or five episodes, sometimes it is over four or five seasons. Either way, the nature of it gives unified purpose to each episode that can, if done well, maximize artistry and meaning while minimizing marketing. This also has the benefit of allowing for more detailed discussion of topics than even a two or three hour film.
   
4. Not all TV shows tell stories, and that's okay. Some shows simply provide a context for dealing with issues. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it can be very good, but we should be careful about how it is done and be sure our values stay intact when we watch. A show designed to be disturbing on a continual basis may simply add to the problem it discusses by lending a feeling of pessimsim. On the other hand, we've all heard that the purpose of the gospel is to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." Judge wisely.
   
5. Substance is the key to television. When making judgments about what to watch and what not to, be flexible and look at what the show does. Don't think that if you watch it once, you have to follow it faithfully. I've gained great good from shows I've only seen once and will probably never watch again. I'm not saying to scan the internet for info about every show that's coming up every day, but I think some of us come close to doing that anyway, at least with our favorite shows. I don't think we need to have "favorite shows" in the sense that there are certain shows we always watch. Devotion to a TV show is dangerous, because, like ratings, once we've given it a blanket "this show is good" approval, we can easily accept whatever it throws at us without re-evaluating our decision to watch it.
   
6. The best thing to happen to TV is DVD. If there's a show you want to watch consistently, get a DVD set. They're available for just about every show you can think of, and you can watch in a more controlled environment, i.e. without commercials and on your schedule. The constant breaks in a TV show minimize its meaning by interjecting a fast paced assault of manipulative messages into what could be an otherwise good program. To watch a show without these interruptions can make all the difference in the world as to its effect on us.
   

Video and Computer Games

I'm not convinced that this is worth including in this post, but I'll address it briefly.

Everything has its place and purpose, but video and computer games have such a limited place in a healthy lifestyle (I believe) that if we think about them so little that we never participate in them, we'll probably be better off. If we or our children want to participate in them, however, we need to be fully involved in the selection. When I think of these games, I think of this scripture:

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. - 1 Corinthians 13:11

All I want to say about this is that video and computer games are voluntarily submitted for ratings to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) which has the same problems as the other ratings organizations I've mentioned, in that it is industry run and not accountable to parents or the government (except inasmuch as we refuse to buy the games).

When I was younger I spent too much time playing video games and have very little (if anything) to show for it. I think that when they actively involve other real people and/or help to develop a useful skill/ability these games can be valuable tools. I don't think we should give them much time and I don't think they should be a dominant part of anyone's life. I also think that because they require us to take the role of protagonist in the scenarios/stories they present, the effect of their messages can be extremely subtle and powerful. The National Institute on Media and the Family has useful information and acts as a watchdog for the electronic gaming industry.

I think the problems with these kinds of games are pretty obvious to most people and good judgment and moderation should be good enough guides. As with everything, if you're going to do it, do it actively and learn about it first. If you're not, no big loss.

Principle #4 Be Flexible; Time Changes Everyone (Except God)

One of the most important things we can remember about media is that "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). A film, book, or TV show that would have been good for you as a child may not be good for you now. One that was too mature for you ten years ago may be just what you currently need. Something that you would never have dreamed of partaking of when it first became available could very well hold the answer to your present dilemma. The Doctrine and Covenants says the following:

And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons. - Doctrine and Covenants 88:38, 42, emphasis added

I take that to mean that even the strictest principles have exceptions. Even the law that no flesh can be saved except through baptism and other ordinances is tempered in the case of those who die without reaching the age of accountability. If this strictest of all laws can have an exception based on age and understanding, surely the rules we follow concerning media can be flexible based on the same criteria. If the Lord knows when to tell Nephi to shed blood for a greater good, surely He knows when an R-rated movie or a book with a disturbing topic will help us on our spiritual journeys. I'm not saying that will be very often if ever, but please don't hold so pharisaically to your rules that you become closed minded about what you will allow the Lord to reveal to you. That brings up the most important principle on this page, and it speaks for itself:

Quench not the Spirit. - 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Principle # 5 For The Strength of Youth

One of the things I've learned from writing this post is that our cultural methods of evaluating the various types of media are vastly different from one another. The Church's are not, however. The For the Strength of Youth booklet is an official church document that outlines its position on media of all kinds. It says:

Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable (pg. 17).

You may notice several of those key criteria from President Benson's address imbedded in that statement.

The way I read it, the phrase "any way" is related to the word "pornographic," but not to the other words. My reason for saying this is that the second sentence presents a different standard for immorality and violence. The day will come that the righteous can grow up as calves of the stall, but I think with this statment the Brethren are acknowledging that youth today cannot escape the issues of violence and immorality. Indeed, coming to terms with the internal characteristics from which these issues arise is central to the coming of age process that youth are going through during this period of their lives. Media that condemns immorality and violent behavior is good for youth. So is media that presents the issues related to these things in their true light. Some of the Church's own media does that. Pornography, on the other hand, has no constructive use in media of any kind. Media can deal with the issue of pornography - which it is critical that it should - without becoming pornographic itself. This important difference is reflected in the phrasing of the Church's statement, which is worthy of the "north star" status I mentioned above (far above).

Principle #6 Personal Intent

Why do we partake of media? Is it just to pass the time? Is it so that we can talk about it with friends, or so that we don't seem "behind the times?" Is it because we want to participate in our popular culture? Is it because it represents or portrays something we have a fondness for or a desire to know more about? Is it for social interaction? Is it because we like or admire the work of a certain author/artist/actor/director/composer, etc.? Is it because we believe that it will uplift our souls, enlighten our understandings, purify our hearts, refine our eyes, and/or bring us closer to God?

How much time do we devote to the media we partake of for each of those reasons? I contend that one of the biggest obstacles to a fulfilling and worthy media experience is the impurity of our personal intent in partaking. Too often, we try to use media, be it books, movies, music, television, or whatever to escape from reality. The philosophy is that we need a break from "the daily grind."

Now, at this point I want to differentiate between entertainment and recreation. Entertainment, for our purposes here, is something that merely holds our attention. This is consistent with the old French, from which the word is derived. Recreation is something that edifies. This is also consistent with the word's French and Latin roots, which mean "refreshment or curing of a person" or "recovery from illness" (Online Etymological Dictionary).

If our purpose in choosing media is merely to be entertained, we're wasting our time. If we just need something with which to fill up the hours of the day, many more productive activities are available. A dripping faucet and a snail can hold our attention, too, but unless we have some higher purpose in looking at them, we won't find it very fulfilling. I think that what the world wants us to think that what the "good life" consists of is really just sitting back and letting other people dump images and words into our heads while our bodies waste away and our minds decay from lack of use. Of course, that's not the way they would say it, but that's what's happening. We become content to merely view, hear, or read about the lives (often fabricated) of others with no intention of learning.

If we add learning to the measure, it's not entertaining anymore, as any school child watching an educational video in science class can tell you. Oh, sure, it might be interesting, and even fun. But it's school because you're learning. Not entertainment. We grasp this intuitively when we feel either bored by something or like we're being forced to think too much. What we don't always grasp is that we're learning either way. If we participate actively, we can almost always glean good things. If we want to just "watch," we are often learning not only mental laziness, but we're absorbing the culture of spectatorship that we live in as well as whatever messages are embedded in the media we are partaking of.

Recreation, on the other hand, is productive. It restores to us that which is lost or corrects within us that which is wrong. It offers no escape from life and its purposes. We can readily see the evil in the idea of taking "time off" from fulfilling our God-given purposes in mortality. God is the supreme creator, and He has provided for the rejuvenation of His creations. His children can have their emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being restored to them through wholesome recreational activities. Media can play an important role in this regard.

As an aside, I'm not asking you to discontinue the use of the word "entertainment." I'm just using it to define a concept that I think is important. If you choose to use it for this purpose, fine. If not, fine. Words are tools and a good tool has many uses.

Principle #7 Variety is the Spice of Life

This principle is short and sweet. It is simply that too much of anything can be harmful. I don't reject the idea of favorites in media, but I do think we shouldn't limit our media experiences to our favorites. If we do, we will never discover anything new. No one ever learned to value the good by refusing to acknowledge the bad. Similarly, try getting any kind of an education when your studies are limited to one or two subjects. Partaking of a variety of media allows us to expand our horizons and enriches our experiences. We see things from different perspectives which enables us to better discern good from evil and we avoid tunnel-vision. For example, kids that only watch Disney movies are missing out on a wealth of high-quality children's media that offers things Disney doesn't (such as a complex, real-world understanding of good and evil). Disney has it's place, but that place isn't the one and only. Other companies produce "safe" media for kids that is just as good or better. You see my point. The same holds true for adults. Go outside your comfort zone - not in terms of spiritual safety, though - and try something new. Try media from another culture, for example and remember that truth can come from any source. See here for a great selection of quotes on truth from LDS leaders. Try to see from the perspectives of those who create the media. It will help you understand their intent in doing so. The lord looketh on the heart.

#8 Prayer

Finally, (finally!) don't forget to pray. If you are struggling with establishing your own media standards or interpreting the teachings on this point, if you feel what might be a spiritual prompting to participate in some kind of media that you normally would avoid, if there's a new movie, or song, or TV show, or book out and you're not sure if you should see it, or listen to it, or read it, just pray about it. The Spirit knoweth all things. The Lord will give you the proper guidance and you will know what to do. Prayer is one medium that can be trusted no matter what. As I've said before, don't be closed minded about what you'll allow the Lord to reveal to you. Every rule has its limits - its bounds and conditions - its exceptions. As one of my mission presidents taught me, those exceptions don't need to be listed because they will be few and obvious. A prompting from the Spirit is an obvious sign of an exception. Let prayer be your guide, and remember, "quench not the Spirit."

So, this has gone on long enough. There you are, for starters. Let me know what you think!