More than $6.99

    I did some research:

For a monthly Netflix subscription, you pay $6.99.

For a monthly Disney+ subscription, you pay $7.99.

YouTube and TikTok are free.

These prices are not bad, but let’s not confuse what we pay in dollars with how much some things really cost. Netflix may actually cost $6.99 plus two hours every evening and more on weekends. Disney+ is about the same. YouTube likely will cost you your concentration, an hour throughout the day and increasingly more as opening the app becomes a reflex every time you hold your phone. TikTok will cost you the price any addict must pay. All of these things will cost you valuable time and take a toll on your physical and mental health. This all makes it sound like a bit more than $6.99 a month.

It seems nearly everything that has a benefit also has a price. Our responsibility is to decide if the good stuff is worth the bad stuff, it carries along with it. Then, we must try to limit this collateral damage. Take driving a car as an example. It is a comfortable and time-efficient way of traveling. However, if used irresponsibly, it can result in serious injury and death. Therefore, we must obtain a driver's license to mitigate that risk.

How about the internet? The upsides of the internet are incredible. All the information I could ask for is at my fingertips. I can talk with family thousands of miles away and send pictures to my friend a few blocks down the road. If used responsibly, the internet is a fantastic tool. However, it can also be a source of false information and become a huge timewaster. And rarely, if ever, are we taught how to use it correctly. Social media and streaming sites can again allow contact with friends and relaxation, but the downsides of not being able to control their usage range from wasted time to depression.

This leaves me with several questions on my mind:

Is having a TV worth the cost, or is it better to get rid of it?

Is unlimited access to the internet worth it?

Is having social media apps on my phone worth it?

Speaking specifically of media, it seems the ability to remain in control and not fall victim to the endless void of unending entertainment has decreased heavily in our society. We can be entertained at the touch of a finger. We can scroll for hours and nights and not reach the bottom of our feed. What does this do to the mind? It makes it yearn for more. More dopamine, more scrolling, more time to shut down. This happens to children, teenagers, and adults. We end up spending hours being unintentional and purposeless.

Is there a solution?

I believe so. But it is a hard one: We must be challenged. We must be forced out of our comfort zone. The only way the brain can regain the ability to concentrate, think, and be disciplined is by removing the comforting escape that entertainment provides. Outdoor activity, learning an instrument, engaging in deep conversations, writing a journal, writing short stories, playing games, reading, personal interaction, exercise, telling the truth…that is how you escape a weak mind. And you keep doing these things as you build character and build a life that is so engaging, good, and purposeful that entertainment is not desired.

Don't get me wrong, the problem is not relaxation. The problem is a lack of intentional rest and recovery from periods of work and becoming enslaved to our human nature and fleshly desires. That is what we should want to avoid. Contrary to popular belief, a screen is not needed to relax after a long day of school or work. Activity, creativity, and sometimes social interaction are needed. By resisting entertainment and seeking discomfort, you challenge your mind. It becomes tough, and embraces the difficulty.

The solution to this problem may very well simply be passion. Passion to learn, passion to create and share, and above all, passion for purpose and life.

That's enough for now. I'm gonna go binge a TV show while scrolling social media.