Sunday, February 2, 2020

Mass Media & Mental Health

I’m gradually drawing a hypothesis that mass media has normalized suspended cognitive development to such a degree that the media refers to sub- Concrete Operational cognitive development as a normal ideology in competition with Formal Operational cognitive development. Referring to these disparate levels of thinking as “conservative” and “progressive” and making “centrism” some kind of twisted version of common sense.

Various theories on Cognitive Development

While researching cognitive development, I began to notice that a vast number of adults seem to be operating at less than an adult cognitive capacity.
I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, but as I read, more symptoms became clear.

  • Lack of empathy for anyone outside of one’s own family and circle of friends.
  • Unable to contemplate long-term or wider degree of effect their decisions have on people around them.
  • Susceptible to logical fallacies, cognitive biases, weasel words, distortions of the truth, lies and deception. Gullible.
  • Low situational and emotional awareness. Unwilling or incapable of at least trying to imagine the perspectives of other cultures or ideologies.
  • Susceptible to creeping normality. Incapable of recognizing subtle warning signs that there is a growing threat to one’s way of life.
  • Defers obsequiously to perceived authority without question. Extremely loyal and subservient, regardless of the consequences.
  • Lives a dogmatic lifestyle. Incapable of adapting to change or to change one’s mind when presented new information, or to admit to being wrong.
  • Selfish and opportunistic at the expense of other people and the environment.
  • Ego-Syntonic: Despite the negative consequences, believes that one’s behavior is normal.
  • Weak Self-Esteem: Narcissism, obsesses over one’s own social status compared to other people in order to feel better about one’s self. Bigotry, racism, sexism, and conspicuous consumption are factors.
  • While driving, loathes other drivers merging into one’s lane in front of them despite proper signaling and distance. Sees driving on the street as some sort of competition. Tends to tailgate other drivers.
Zones of Interpersonal Interaction are often
regulated by cult leaders but mostly
conditioned internal authority managed
by your religious beliefs or Xenophobia.
  • Xenophobic: Paranoid about strangers and active seekers of threats. Sees conspiracies in most situations involving people one does not know who are wealthier or more well-off or more powerful than one’s self, like the government.
  • There is probably more...

The normalization of this behavior by the media can only be exposed through learning Critical Thinking Skills. Understanding the effects of weasel words, logical fallacies and cognitive biases. Spending more time out of your comfort zone getting to know people.

Examples:

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