I despise the programming on modern television. Yes, there are some good shows, but even the best shows cater to the least common denominator: The American Zombie.
The Zombie Apocalypse struck decades ago, perhaps even longer. People tend to allow the media to tell them what's important, and they have chosen NOT TO THINK about what's important to THEM. Society has taught this behavior, as it's dangerous to allow your real opinions to show. It's dangerous to be different.
Television has become the goto information center for what to worry about, what to think, who to vote for (and sometimes why...but usually nobody thinks about why, much less talks about it). This allows the people who OWN all the media, to control the nations. Yeah, just about all the world is controlled by media moguls, and their motivation is monetary. (This makes them vulnerable to financial institutions.) Remember that there is an inverse correlation between intelligence, and the desire to be in charge: The less you understand yourself, the less control you have over yourself; the less self-control, the more arrogance; the more arrogance you feel, the more violence and short-sightedness in your behavioral toolset.
The sickness behind mass media is the desire for too much money, which leads to the "need" to increase ratings. Drama increases ratings: Viewers want to see how things turn out. Satisfying that need allows their attention to turn to other things, such as their own lives...and the media can't allow that to happen. So they bring us more fear, uncertainty, doubt...which are very effective wedges into your mind, useful for selling products to sheeple. After sex--which is taboo, and so has to be carefully administered--fear and uncertainty sell more products than anything easily accessible to media moguls. Humans are taught to crave power, and when that's combined with teaching us not to THINK, our desire for power is manifest through control of others, usually through force. Money gives us the ability to coerce others, and more of it allows us to do things without thinking. A stupid, senseless path, followed by many self-righteous people. "It's legal, so it's right!" they proclaim. Yeah, everyone knows smoking is stupid, but it's legal.
The pursuit of money beyond your needs is a pointless endeavor, yet increasing wealth is an addictive path followed by most humans. The de facto controllers of our lives encourage this: Everything costs money, and more and more "things" are required to simply hold a job. You need a phone, a car, a house, decent clothes...don't you? I guess that depends on what your goals are in life.
Can you be happy, chasing your tail to acquire these endless "things?"
The alternative to pursuit of money may be too subtle for society, but I'd be embarrassed to admit it: Pursue excellence in your career, measured in successful creations. If you make clothespins, make the best damned clothespins you know how, and keep working to learn how to make better ones! Measuring success by profit only measures your public relations and advertising skills...and most companies hire contractors for that, so there is nothing to be proud of there. Can you dupe the public into buying an inferior product? Unfortunately, that is the goal of most corporations: Cut costs till the product is barely marketable.
We cannot cure the insanity of others. I am frequently amazed at how insane society is, and modern religion displays the corruption that an insane society brings. The problem is peer pressure, irrational violence, and general lack of thinking (aka stupidity?).
Society trains humans to solve their problems through swift action. "Lord, grant me patience; but I want it now!" Alexander "solved" the Gordian Knot by cutting it with a sword. That's not a solution: That's destroying creation. He was clueless about knots.
Society is materially based. Remember, God turned over the world to the Serpent at the Fall. You'd think that looking at history would cure churches of that problem, but it seems few people are willing to look at history. The church of medieval times was insanely obsessed with possessions and political power, and effectively destroyed every sign of spirituality they encountered. If the hierarchy could gain in power or wealth by accusing someone of heresy, they did. And the masses dared not question them.
We can't cure "Christian" insanity: Those who profess to be Christian are almost entirely hypocritical, and lack understanding. "Few shall find the Way," Jesus taught us. Don't expect a large, prosperous church to guide your soul to God. That's not how it's done. Salvation comes from the recognition that God is within us, and then taking the time to seek Him.
What we CAN do, is work toward curing ourselves. Then let our light shine.
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