One of the most effective tools of social engineering in the last half-century has been the television. I believe it even rivals the education system in terms of the level of impact: it’s far broader, inter-generational, and more degenerate.
John Watson was a 20th century psychologist who understood how the power of association could elicit desired behaviors. He moved into the advertising industry and showed himself to be quite successful. We read from Wikipedia:
An example of Watson’s use of testimonials was with the campaign he developed for Pebeco toothpaste. The ad featured a seductively dressed woman, and coaxed women to smoke, as long as they used Pebeco toothpaste. The toothpaste was not a means to benefit health or hygiene, but as a way to heighten the sexual attraction of the consumer. They were not only buying toothpaste, they were purchasing sex appeal.
Since the time of John Watson, the advertising industry has become more sophisticated (and knowledgeable) in its approach to manipulating a person’s behavior. Unless one is looking for it, he is unlikely to see much of the subliminal messaging — often unrelated to the advertised product — but the individual will accept it into his subconscious for no other reason than just the frequency of receiving the message. When the advertising industry is composed of agencies that are not simply eager for profit, but also to push a certain agenda (“social engineering”), people need to be on guard.
Consider the following group of commercials and ask yourself, “Do I see a similar pattern when I watch TV?”
The above commercials are designed to be received differently depending on the viewer. For white men, they are to see themselves as being in the role of the lesser. For blacks, they are to see themselves as living the role of the greater. Both groups see the other group according to the script.
The programming is quite different from reality, but with enough consistency, one might be apt to believe the fantasy on TV over reality. The truth is, whites disproportionately make up the working and tax-paying class. The average IQ of whites is a full standard deviation higher than the average IQ of blacks (in the US). The inter-racial crime rate is overwhelmingly disproportionately black on white.
I don’t think it’s inaccurate to say that in the modern world the culture and moral norms are almost completely dictated now using the mechanisms of television, movies, music, etc. And that’s a real danger because the people who run these industries are not moral people. In ancient European times, morals were guided mostly by custom and the wisdom of elders. After the establishment of Christendom, morality and culture followed the dictates of the Church, through the Word of God, the application of God’s moral law and the practice of the Holy Faith. That’s all gone now. But can we really build a high, noble culture on just Doritos and football?
According to a Nielsen report cited by Wikipedia, “United States adults are watching five hours and four minutes of television per day on average.” Five hours. PER. DAY.
The concern I see is that this opens up a susceptibility to having one’s mind and focus formed towards an end that is contrary to both the truth and what God desires of us. (And this is just a diplomatic way of saying that we need to be aware of the agendas — some perhaps very evil — that are pushed through this medium.) I wonder how much time the average person spends in prayer every day? If we don’t spend the time to pray, to read God’s Word, to learn about the Faith, to learn about the great saints of history, how will our minds be formed and centered on what’s truly important? And without that knowledge, how can we inoculate ourselves against this evil programming?
After all, the television will pass way, but eternity is forever.