Torch, Summer 1989

Also, individualism is prevalent in our society today. Messages of selfishness are taught and caught, perhaps unconsciously , and partially internalized. And on occasions we go along with them. The outworking of good manners is not congruent with individual– ism. As Christians, we must consciously exercise our wills in order to combat this type of thinking. In the process, we will be more inclined to manifest good manners. While we implicate the truths of Christianity in many areas of life, we sometimes don ' t implicate them in terms of manners, even though the basics are in the New Testament-how we are to treat people with kindness, justice, gentleness. The topic of manners as an outworking of biblical principles should be raised to greater importance. We should hear about them from the pulpit, from parents, and from teachers. Only as biblical principles are applied to the total spectrum of our lives can we maintain a mannerly approach in how we live our our Christian lives. J. Wesley Bali.eI• Associate Professor of Communication Arts Q. How has the media promoted a departure from manners? A. Critics of TV are virtually unani– mous in saying that it has had some impact on society, both positive and negative. The average home has the television on for seven hours each day. Pre– schoolers watch over 30 hours per week and school age children, 23. Scientific studies haven't proven a cause-and-effect relationship between TV and social problems. But, it 's just common sense to assume that something that is done more than any other activity except sleeping has got to be having an in– fluence on people and on the way they treat one another. I personally believe the commercial environment kills good manners. It is geared toward a narcistic attitude. Get everything for yourself. Get a product because you deserve it; it gives you status. Do something because you 're entitled to do it. A materialistic, selfish kind of lifestyle is promoted repeatedly. ·Patterns of media content have reduced the respect of individuals for one another. In family relationships the children are seen to be in control. The father is the incompetent, the object of jokes. He is talked about in an unkind , caustic manner. As this message is repeated over and over, the viewer is led to believe that this is the way fathers must be. By and large, I think media's content does not convey good values. Net– works major on the type of program– ming that is popular with young people- that which tends to teach violent anger. Anything remotely related to manners is ridiculed. Also, the competitive environment in the industry has allowed more overt, ungodly behavior in the program– ming. Anything can be shown on cable TV, and the networks think they have to "spice" their program– ming to keep people from drifting away. But a crucial point for parents dealing with media's influence is that the research unquestionably indicates the home environment is a major factor in how information is received. Parents are the key influ– encers. In an unstable home envi– ronment there is no parental involvement to neutrali ze the media message. On the other hand, if the family watches TV together and the message is discussed in light of what the Bible says, family values can be reinforced. Messages presented by the media can ' t overcome a family's values--if they are solidly laid down nor destroy good relationships which exist between parents and children. The key is the interpersonal communica– tions within the family. What disturbs me most, though, is that because TV is such a normal everyday event in our lives, we don 't think critically about what we ' re watching or what messages are being presented. We watch TV as entertainment; we relax and don ' t want to think. That lowers our defenses and leaves us more open to the message. Just as we think critically in analyzing art and litera– ture, we should do so when we watch TV. Parents should play a key part in directing their families in this endeavor. Dr. Ray Ba.rtholom.e w Professor of English and Ch air of t h e Deparim.ent of Language and Literature Q. Have changes in recent literature and in speech influenced a decline in manners?