Journal 5: Challenges to Faith

1.     The Major idea of this section, to me, seems to be influences.  How and what we are influenced by, and what we can do about it.  We learned that the media is all around us, and there is no way to avoid it. Also, from the media comes skewed images and ideas of who and what we should be.  Most important to advertisers are beauty, size, and untimately, perfection.  This poses many problems in today's society, and among teenage girls in particular.  The guys are a little less subject to it since we don't seem to care as much.  Beauty and thinness are ones that really affeect girls though.  I wouldn't know as much as a girl thanks to her firsthand experience, but from what i have observed, most girls don't seem to think they fit this fabricated image that we have been forced to see through the media.  Finally, when the media stresses perfection, it is setting people uo for failure, since it is impossible for anyone to be perfect but God. 2.     Three important things i would like to remember: First, "Nietzsche, Hobbes, and St. Ignatius of Loyola: How do They Compare?" (rb pp. 128-129)  Their ideas on the meaning of life, on human beings, on reason, and on morality compared and contrasted.  On the meaning of life, Ignatius believed that "since God created all of us, everyone has the same purpose in life, regardless of whether they know it or not."  Nietzsche believed that people choose to make life whatever they want, but life is dominated by strong people, so the "masses" will follow the strong people who are able to think and choose freely for themselves.  Finally, Hobbes thought "meaning" was pointless since no one created us, people can't have meaning. On human beings, Hobbes had a pessimistic view.  He thought we were no different than animals, and would never amount to much.  Neitzsche was the complete opposite.  He believed that eventually humans would achieve a super-human like quality (like Superman).  Ignatius combined both men's ideas.  He thought that as Christians, we believe we are destined for something greater, and "we alone are able to recognize and praise our God." On reason, Hobbes believed that the universe can be understood by the rational mind.  Nietzsche was a Nihilist, and didn't even believe in reason.  Ignatius believed in a combination of both.  Reason is needed, but "we cannot go by smarts alone." On morality, Nietzsche and Hobbes both believed that "what is right for one person may not be right for another."  However, Ignatius believed that it is "objective, and what is right for one is right for all." Second, the "Merchants of Cool" video reaffirmed my awareness that the media is always around me, however, from watching it, I know that it is possible to reject what the media says, and be yourself.  The problem is that "being yourself" may catch on and be the next trend they grab hold of.  Therefore, like the movie said, we always have to be changing with it. Third, I would like to remember the top three Challenges to Faith that our class came up with "from larger society."  These included materialism, the media, and prejudices.  3.     A couple of pictures to serve as reminders.

To be Different

Thomas Hobbes

4.     One good question that I would like to keep with me to ponder is, do I let the media take hold of me, or has it already, and do I let it manipulate me and skew my veiws?  If so, do I recognize it when this happens? 5.     From this study, I know that now I will be much more aware of what is being advertised to me, and I hope that I can be more resistant to what they are saying.  Now I should be able to reject the bad and use the good like Ignatius' First Principle and Foundation, and be able to laugh at the ludacris tactics the media uses to try to sell me things.