Watch The Media

Television is the great equalizer. At times it seems that the only thing people have in common is the TV shows they watch. However, unlike average Americans, many of us do not watch wildly popular shows such as "Baywatch" because they offend our religious sensibilities. We adhere to our Rabbi's precepts that call for shielding of the eyes when matters of sexuality are concerned. It was their intention to create impassible boundaries that would protect our mental purity and keep us away from temptation. Their intent was not to keep us ignorant of the world around us, rather it was a safety measure to insure us from falling into the pernicious grip of straying eyes and hearts. The mechanism of halakha was instituted to repulse the visual imagery deemed hazardous to man's spiritual development. It is for this reason that we do not watch Baywatch.

However, it is simplistic to believe that only sexual imagery is hazardous to ones spiritual and mental development. Television offers its viewers a plethora of mindless, time-consuming programming which should be similarly boycotted. Haredi Jews know this well and tend not to have televisions in their houses. They realize that the tube brings with it values that are antithetical to the timeless Jewish ones. Though it is not halakhically impermissible to watch TV, these people choose to create further boundaries to defend against what they deem to be evil and meaningless.

We Modern Orthodox Jews walk a fine line. We are involved in the modern world, yet maintain our allegiance to halakha. In this system, it is imperative that we create for ourselves boundaries that clarify our positions vis-a-vis halakha and society. Our viewing habits are a prime example of the failure of Modern Orthodoxy to maintain this proper balance.

Television is an entrenched reality of the Modern Orthodox life style. We must, however, learn to use the remote more selectively. There is a nifty little button on most modern TV's enabling you to select those channels that you deem worthy, but the button is sorely underused. This button serves a function similar to halakha - it enables you to filter out the bad while keeping in the good. Most TV programming today is bereft of content and lacking any intellectual value. The 'select' button should be used to keep programming such as the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, PBS, CNN, TLC, (and my personal favorites) C-Span I and II on the screen.

You might criticize this list and call it subjective. However, subjectivity is precisely what is needed to remedy our viewing assimilation. All programming is not created equal, and it is high time that we honestly assess what it is that we are watching. Television and movies desensitize us to violence and immorality, and take away precious time from pro-active and creative endeavors that could be achieved by every single one of us. Ironically, the information age fills our minds with the mundane and the inane, and can actually be detrimental to our mental growth.

Other forms of media should be subject to the same rigorous vetting as well. Rags like the National Enquirer represent the extreme in intellectually dishonest publications, however publications ranging from Sports Illustrated to People Magazine have a similar corrupting effect on our brains. So too, many of the Jewish newspapers and magazines suffer from the disease of stupidity and intellectual dishonesty.

So be subjective in what you bring with you into the bathroom. Read The New York Times, The New Republic, Commentary, The Utne Reader, The Economist, The Forward, Haaretz, and even Newsweek and Time. Listen to positive and constructive radio, such as National Public Radio (820AM and 93.9 FM) and the great college stuff on the lower end of the FM dial. [88.3 is a great member-supported jazz station.] On the television stick to the certain channels that are worth your time. Be honest with yourself about what you watch and become subjective in what you choose. Do your mind a favor, filter out the junk and don't waste your time, and please support public broadcasting.