The ancients taught: “When you watch a masked play or a drama, turn the gaze back upon yourself.” Whenever we consume media — through whatever channel or medium — we must reflect carefully upon our purpose in doing so.
If one consumes media as a person of wisdom, it is for the purpose of following the currents of world affairs so as to adapt oneself in a timely and discerning manner. But what then is one to do when media contains both truth and falsehood, both that which pleases us and that which does not?
The principles for consuming media are as follows:
- Media that invites rejoicing in merit — upon encountering such content, the viewer feels gladness at the goodness therein, holds it in admiration, and is inspired to follow its example.
- Media that invites rejoicing in demerit — upon encountering such content, the viewer feels a sense of vindictive satisfaction or dark gratification at what is harmful, gives rise to anger, irritation, and a turbid mind, and is unwittingly drawn into cursing or condemning alongside the media itself.
How to Consume Media So as to Gain Merit
- Upon encountering harmful or inauspicious news, do not rejoice in demerit alongside it.
- Take the harmful news as a teaching for oneself — resolving that one shall not become as such.
- Bring to mind the goodness of those to whom one owes a debt of gratitude — one’s parents, teachers, and spiritual mentors who have guided and instructed one in the cultivation of virtue to this very day.
- Resolve with firm intention to continue doing good.
One who is able to do thus may rightly be called a wise consumer of media — capable, in whatever situation they encounter, of transforming the unwholesome into the wholesome. Such a person does not act in blind accordance with prevailing currents. In so doing, they honor the precious gift of having been born a human being and having encountered the Buddha’s Teaching — and do not allow that rare fortune to be spent in vain.
March 17th, 2020
