The Mob Media

The media shows the tiniest percentage of what people do. There are millions and millions of people doing wonderful things all over the world, and they're generally not the ones being touted in the news.
Fred Rogers

I find there are two things to be taken from Mister Roger's observation.

The first is that if I'm going to really do something wonderful, it implies very few -if anyone- will notice it. Yet if I do something wonderful I find that I am more accepting of my choices ... and God is as well.

To be together with God on something doesn't exactly make a large group of people. And yet isn't it a blessed thing?

Everyone seems to want their fifteen minutes of fame, but who is willing to be obscure?

Who is willing to lead a life of devotion when no one is watching?
The other thing I find true in this passage is that the writings of the press (which always express the most apparent most interesting information) are hardly of consequence.

"That which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God."
Luke 16:15b

Sure the press reports on things that are "nice to know". The news tells us about things like foreign relations, the price of oil, and the next thing at the movies.

After having lived in Europe for some time I was greatly disappointed to see the role of the media there. People in Europe seem to evaluate everything (public figures, the government, morality, romance) on the basis of how popular it is. And to find this in a place that also brought us Dostoyevsky, Kierkegaard, and Sartre.

If a person wants to do something wonderful (and if he is devoted to this task) does this not also mean he will gladly sacrifice for this wonderful thing? And will he not be willing to endure the scorn of his generation for his devotion?

Popularity and global attention is no advantage to such a person.

Time will come to an end. Our lives will be laid bare before eternity, and how much will we wish we understood those things better? How much general news-worthy knowledge will we be responsible for?