WHOSE REMOTE IS IT, ANYWAY

 



“If everything is amplified, we hear nothing.”

Jon Stewart


Human mind is wired to take sides!

Confused?

Imagine you come across a game on TV, social media or even at a local playground… You know nothing about the teams or players… Totally strangers… But, as you keep watching the game, watch you mind, as well… Are you rooting for one of the teams? Can you remain totally neutral? Similarly, imagine this: you are watching two people fighting along the road… Why? Even two bulls, dogs, goats, cats are fighting as you walk by… Is there a favourite out there?

And, imagine this: you and I are watching on TV or social media so much of ‘fighting’ – mostly political – and allow ourselves to be affected by what we watch… what happens to our thinking?

I don’t know about you. But, whenever I get drawn into this cesspool, I end up getting depressed – irritated, angry and very, very touchy and reactive. The worst part of this is: I am ready to spoil my close relationships for the sake of relating with complete strangers in my life…

Of what use is my love, affection and loyalty to strangers when I let my own people find me alienated?

 


At regular intervals, I make a conscious decision to stay off all kinds of Media – news particularly. Frankly, my life is more peaceful without their consumption. So, who lost and who won… who is arrested and who is freed… who tweeted what and who countered how – yes, of what use are these for my own quiet life?

Somewhere, somehow, someone has brainwashed me: “My friend, your life is incomplete without me.”

“Sorry, my Life is very much complete - beautiful and much, much, much peaceful - without you… Leave me alone!”… This is how it is, presently, to me.

The Media, like any other business, thrives on selling to the gullible minds. We are fed non-stop and we are turned into addicts…

Sadly, this addiction has assumed acceptance and respectability!

The only thing over which we have control is our own thinking and behaviour. The more we focus on their quality, the lesser we focus on what happens outside… It’s an age-old wisdom. Stephen Covey and Byron Katie have explained this simple truth, so beautifully: When you focus on the area of your power, you become more proactive and peaceful. Leave others’ business to others, and leave God’s business to God…




The Media – every kind of Media – survives by trying to make us do the exact opposite: Get involved with the businesses of others and God… And, keep getting anxious, worried, irritated and depressed…

But, whose ‘remote’ is it, anyway? Whose Life?

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic's: pixabay

 

Video: Andre Rieu

 

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