Media Monday - The Media Construct Reality

Good News! (for some) - I’ve decided, unless directly asked for my opinion, I will no longer be talking about or commenting on anything political in nature on social media. The main reason being that there seem to be very few who actually want to discuss what their preferred candidate stands for and, instead, simply want to spread fear (and sometimes misinformation) about the candidate they dislike.

And this strategy has a tendency to paint things as either blue or red, when the reality is they are many different shades of purple. It also puts the focus on the past and future, while the present is what matters most. And when I am able to stay in the present, my life is much better than when I get hung up on the future or the past - which, of course, are not “real.”

However, I will continue to talk about things that I know and things that I believe are important. Media literacy being the main one.

So here’s today’s #MediaMonday moment - As you traverse the political landscape, try to stay focussed on your reality, not someone else’s. Because if you get your information from the media (and by this I mean ALL media - MSM/legacy media, public broadcasters, alternative media, social media, memes, etc.) as everyone does, rather than through personal experience and knowledge, then the media, rather than you yourself, are constructing your reality. 

 And it is clear that there are at least 2 very different realities in our country right now (which, to me, proves this concept to be true). 

The best way to counter this is to have more direct experience with things. Or to talk to people who have direct experience. If you’re concerned about homelessness, go and talk to a homeless person and get their perspective. If you’re wondering how small business has changed since Covid, go and ask a small business owner their thoughts. If you think Canada is “broken”, travel the world (And no, I don’t mean cruises or resorts. Nothing wrong with these for vacations, they just aren’t really experiencing another country) to see how things compare. 

 Not only will you have a better personal understanding that is based more on reality, but you might also learn that things aren’t as bad as media are designed to portray.

May we all find peace of mind!