Thoughts from an Apostle

As I watch this Mormon Message I am reminded of two things: the power of media and the wisdom of God.  I know that in His wisdom He allowed technologies and media to be invented so that hearts could be changed as the gospel reaches all the corners of the earth.  I know His plan is perfect, and I know that media has an incredible role in that plan.  

Yet I also know, that the spectrum of media's influence is great.  Media can have extremely detrimental affects.  It is up to us to choose how we will be impacted.

Elder Bednar reminds us of our agency and identity in this Mormon Message called "Things as They Really Are."

Here are the last two questions Elder Bednar asked us to consider in our personal pondering and prayerful study:

Question 1: Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?

Question 2: Does the time you spend using various technologies and media, enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?

YouTube: Broadcast Yourself.

After asking on facebook for my friends' favorite YouTube videos, here are the responses:

1. Best Cat Vines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tzhyfWHdLo

2. Thought of You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBk3ynRbtsw

3. Jurassic Park Them Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w-58hQ9dLk

4. 20th Century Fox Flute Version

http://youtu.be/IsdCGQbbd8k

5. Sketchy Ice Creams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOfy5LDpEHo

6. Royals - ("Sad Clown With the Golden Voice" Version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmCJEehYtU

7. Danny MacAskill's Imaginate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3xVOs7_

8. The Social Revolution - Remember Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LczkikAgAVE

9. Explosions In the Sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFwOmxP56-g

10. How to Make Fruit Salad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH616LkTaW0

11. Stand By Me

http://youtu.be/Us-TVg40ExM

12. Ghost in the Stalls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZO9tMetxno

13. MadTV Pizza Hut Twisted Crust Pizza Complete-za Parody

http://youtu.be/uPxOxfOLUyk

14. Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation

(This one's not a YouTube video but it's still great.)

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html

Now for some trivia.

Would you believe that YouTube was created only in 2005?  And in the first year after its creation, the site grew from only 30 users per day to over 3 million users per day.  

A study examining the motives to view and publish on YouTube found that most watch for entertainment purposes.  I would agree, especially after examining the small sample I had on my facebook.   Here is the chart that demonstrates viewing motives.

What is your favorite YouTube video and why?

Why do you think so many people seek for entertainment?

Have you ever thought of using YouTube for educational or learning purposes?

(Citation for research presented on this post: Jones, J. M. (2010). The me in media: A functionalist approach to examining motives to produce within the public space of YouTube. (Order No. 3398314, University of Minnesota). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 237. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/219921526?accountid=4488. (219921526).)

Why is Media so Popular?

Well, I found the answer in a book called, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years."  

The book is an autobiography of Donald Miller.  He chronicles his life by showing us how he learned to live a better story. Look at what he says in the first paragraph of Chapter 13: A Character Is What He Does:

"Once I understood the power of story in my personal life, I wanted to know more about how to create a good one.  I was getting up a little earlier, and interestingly enough, I was going to fewer movies. In a way, I'd started a new story about trying to find a story, and so I didn't need to escape my boring life anymore.  I was a character who wanted something, and well, that's half the battle."

How often do we use media as an escape or to live vicariously? Almost every form of media has become expert at capturing stories, or beginning them so the viewer has a need to come back to finish the story.  For example, twitter may just seem to be status updates, but after compiling the updates of one year, a person may have a small book which, disconnected though it may be, is a small piece of their life experience.  Even 5 second 'vines' have the essence of a story.  

So, some questions for you:

What story are you living?

What stories keep you coming back?

Why does a story hold such a powerful pull?

Media Defined

me·di·a

ˈmēdēə

noun

1. 1.

   plural form of medium.
2. 2.

   the main means of mass communication (esp. television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet) regarded collectively.