Caveat lector– a Latin phrase meaning let the reader beware. It also applies to the hearer. We live in a culture where we are bombarded by information. Yet in this information age, in large part we have become a nation incapable of discerning what is true and false, what is good and evil.
Author and cultural critic Neil Postman wrote of the dumbing-down of the American people by mass media and entertainment in his acclaimed book, “Amusing Ourselves to Death”, written in 1985. What was true then is even truer now. In this book Postman contrasts the future world as imagined in George Orwell’s book, “1984,” in which the government controls citizens through constant surveillance, and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World,” in which people are controlled by being kept entertained and oblivious.
As Postman wrote: “Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think. … Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. …”
What a picture of the American people today and the entertainment we devour – including the news media. To those capable of discernment, it’s not difficult to see the liberal bias of much of the mainstream news which ‘drowns the truth in a sea of irrelevance.’ Yet equally troubling are sources claiming to be “fair and balanced” yet are anything but that.
For viewers of Fox News you’ll recognize that slogan. It’s important to remember that Fox News is not a bastion of truth, but a money-making media giant. The company that gives us Fox News also gives us the FOX-TV network which is filled with crass, sexualized shows. Fox News supposedly espouses family values while FOX-TV trashes them on its vulgar sitcoms. Fox News does nothing more than fill a niche, drawing viewers – and money – from a certain demographic.
When Fox News debuted in 1996 under the leadership of Roger Ailes, it was seemingly a breath of fresh air for millions of conservatives who for the first time had a news source that seemed to give voice to their values. Yet while the water may flow in a different direction, much of the truth filtered through Fox News is still being drowned. The opinions espoused often do little to portray true conservative thought, but rather parrot the moderate Republican, politically-correct party line – especially over what are considered to be “values” issues – opposition to abortion, the LGBT agenda, gay marriage. And when it comes to elections, Fox News uses its clout to help pick winners and losers. That was abundantly clear with the past Republican primary season. Ted Cruz, who most typified true conservative thought, got little air time while the network fed its viewers Donald Trump – hook, line, and sinker. And like guppies, many of them swallowed the worm.
As Steve Deace writes for Conservative Review: “Fox News, the most powerful platform in conservative media, has been skewing more liberal in recent years under the watchful eye of long-time Svengali Roger Ailes. Leaving many conservatives to wonder why.”
Deace offers his opinion for Fox’s slide away from true conservatism: “Whenever a once principled man suddenly seems to have lost his way and starts compromising his public virtue, it’s always because he is morally compromised in his private life. Every. Single. Time.”
So when news broke that popular Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson was suddenly fired and was suing Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, people began to recognize that the wizard behind the curtain was not who many thought he was. Since then the floodgates have opened with dozens of women who had worked for Ailes coming forward with charges of sexual harassment. And when Megan Kelly, the star of Fox News, purportedly added her own testimony of harassment – Ailes was booted.
In retrospect, it should come as no surprise. Any viewer of Fox News will quickly see a pattern of sexualized, cleavage-baring women as reporters and hosts. An incriminating article from Forbes magazine, states: The producer would say, ‘[Ailes] says you need to change her hair or her blouse, have her hike up her skirt or put on more makeup,’” says a former contributor and guest host at Fox News and Fox Business News who spoke to Forbes under the condition of anonymity. “Roger watched everything… and during the day he would say, ‘T*** up, hair back.’ That was his M.O.”
Fox News is selling something, but it’s not unadulterated truth.
So what is the take away for us? As Christians, we need to be buyers of truth, not pabulum or propaganda. As it says in Proverbs 23:23, “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.” Don’t let yourself be buried in a sea of irrelevance. Don’t buy the party line, but seek out sources of information and instruction to enable you to speak truth to those in your sphere of influence. Don’t assume that a source labeled “conservative” is automatically trustworthy.
In my devotions I recently read this quote from R.C. Sproul: “Many Christians neglect the study of the law of the Lord, but if we do not seek to understand His commandments, we will lack the wisdom needed to discern between right and wrong in our decisions.”
To know what’s true, study the Truth.
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