Sex and violence are outdone

By JAMES BREIG- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Much has been said about televised sex and violence, about how children need to be protected from both, and about what positive steps should be taken by everyone from the federal government to babysitters.

But there is another vice propagated by TV that is more pervasive, less obvious and therefore potentially more damaging: materialism.

The latest emanation debuts on ABC in August in the form of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," hosted by Regis Philbin. Based on a British show, "Millionaire" will consist of 13 episodes run over 14 days as 10 contestants compete for a cool mil'.

ABC says the show is "in the tradition of the big money, primetime quiz shows of the past with all the attendant drama and excitement." But none of the scandal, I assume.

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Game shows aren't the only shrines to the gods of materialism on television. In fact, they are just vigil lights compared to the Gothic cathedrals of advertising. There are so many commercials nowadays, and they come with such frequency and in such small packages that we hardly notice the messages we are getting swamped with.

But the bottom-line theme to all of the messages is simple: If you spend money, you will feel better.

If you buy this car, you'll feel more powerful. If you purchase that beer, you'll be funnier. Put down your credit card for our amusement park and your family will be closer than ever. There are even ads for credit cards themselves, which say that using X card over Y card will leave you sunning yourself on the Riviera.

The vast majority of TV commercials are about our wants, rather than our needs. You see very few ads for our daily bread, but there are plenty for fast foods, soft drinks, perfumes, luxury cars and the latest movie.

Insofar as ads provide information about products we are interested in buying, they're fine. But cumulatively they are hammering home messages about materialism that we and our children should be aware of.

Talking materialism

You have probably said to your child, "That show is not appropriate because of its sexual content," or "We're not going to that movie because it's too violent." But have you ever said: "All these ads run counter to our family's Christian idea of money and promote the vice of materialism"?

In fact, have you ever talked to your children about materialism at all? Tragedies like the high school shooting in Littleton remind parents to talk about violence, guns and safety. The latest statistics about teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases spur moms and dads to speak to their adolescents about sex.

But little in society encourages parents to discuss materialism with their little ones. On the contrary, much of society, especially TV, celebrates materialism.

Your child isn't likely to carry a gun into school. Only some children will become sexually active. But all children will have to sort out the concepts of materialism, social justice, charity and the Church's teaching on the preferential option for the poor.

The question for parents is how well they have prepared their children for that process.

(08-05-99) [[In-content Ad]]