We were given the chance to review Captivated DVD from Media Talk 101 through Schoolhouse Review in exchange for an 100% honest review.
Captivated DVD that is designed for adults to watch in hopes of making a change in the way we are raising our kids, but it is fine to watch it with your family. My kids and I watched this documentary together. Ironically enough, my boys seemed more interested in this than I. The Media Talk 101 team have created this documentary in hopes of answering some of life’s tough questions.
Some of the top questions they are trying to answer per the back of the DVD case are:
1.) Have we entered into a virtual prison?
2.) Should we be celebrating unreservedly or should we be cautious and skeptical?
3.) Has today’s connectivity drawn us closer to one another or strangely more disjointed?
I must say that they went into great SCIENTIFIC detail when they were presenting their argument. They also presented some stunning statics that really surprised me, even though it shouldn’t since we are a very media driven household. One of the things that caught my attention is they mentioned that ‘most households have more TVs than they have people living in the house.’ Well, that one stat made me think about all the houses in our family, I know that two out of the three houses on our property fall right into this stat. They also stated that kids get over 53 hours per week of media time. Our kids actually get 2-3 hours of TV time a day which equals out to 14 hours a day, BUT that doesn’t include the amount of time they spend on their computers or Kindle’s doing lessons.
We include Bible lessons in their lives. We do also strive to give them time outside as often as possible. We do make sure that they do chores and learn to be independent. We also strive to limit the amount of time they spend on media.
However, we do let them be involved with playing video games, their Kindle Fires, and online programs. I do feel that there are times when I feel like they may be spending too much on technology gadgets verses enjoying the great outdoors. There are also some concerns that they don’t know how to really interact with others well.
1.) Have we entered into a virtual prison?
I can see why the scientists feel that we are literally in a virtual prison. I can’t say my kids are in that prison yet because we haven’t given them the chance to be there. My husband certainly isn’t in it. Myself on the other hand, I’m guilty as charged. This movie did make me think about my actions and lifestyle choices. I feel like I HAVE to be attached to some type of media outlet in order to have my ‘online business’ grow. Yet, while I was doing my walks today it dawned on me that I really had a more solid following when I just focused on writing what was in my heart and my OPINIONS on life in general. In many ways, I was listening to God’s gentle pushes as to what to write about.
2.) Should we be celebrating unreservedly or should we be cautious and skeptical? & 3.) Has today’s connectivity drawn us closer to one another or strangely more disjointed?
It’s no secret that I have ‘old school’ thinking on so many different topics. To some small extent, I agree with the creators of this movie. I do feel that we are spending more time trying to keep up with people via online than picking up the phone or going to actually see a person. I literally have more contact with my so called friends via online than I do in person. I’m not 100% sure if that’s because they really can’t stand to be around me in person or if it’s just it’s easier to talk via online. Now since I’m a writer first and HAVE always been awkward around people in person, I personally feel the online world has enhanced my relationships.
I can express myself better. I can show others that I do genuinely care about their lives. I don’t have to worry about putting my foot in my mouth quite as much. Plus my annoyingly rude interruption habit doesn’t pop it’s ugly head. So, for me the online world is BETTER and a great invention.
There is a BUT though!! I do miss actually spending time in person with my friends. I do miss hanging out and seeing their laughter. I miss being a true actual shoulder for them to lean on during their hard times. I do miss going window shopping together and actually getting to know what their taste is based off of how an outfit truly LOOKS ON THEM, and not in a picture we’ve seen together on Pinterest.
So, should we be cautious and skeptical…honestly, I would have to say YES. We are becoming more wrapped up in social media in all of it’s various forms than we are in actually maintaining the relationships we have right in front of us starting with our immediately families (i.e. spouses and kids) and extending to our friendships. Now that I’ve had an eye opening experience like this movie gave me, I do feel I’m going to have to cut back on my media intake to more reasonable hours.
If you are interested in learning what Christian scientists have to say about this whole media consumption overload, then you will enjoy this documentary. You can get this documentary movie for $16.95. You can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.
You can also check out more reviews from my fellow Schoolhouse Reviewers by clicking on the image.
Very interesting issues addressed in this. I know I always have some kind of electronic with me but I don’t want that for my daughter.
I also have something electronic in my hands. I have just recently started leaving my cell phone and all technology in the house more. Of course, I still have pen and paper in my hands. (I can’t help it I have to express myself in some form or fashion.) When I was a kid, I would daydream out loud to my horse and dog or I’d create a song. The deer hunters would always pick on me that they couldn’t catch a deer because of my loud motor mouth.
Very interesting. My son is glued to his iPod and I would like to change that!
Does your son still live under your roof? If so, it’s not to late to change that. (House rules can always be put in place.)
I remember noticing that my online friendships were overtaking my offline relationships, and I wondered if that was ok. However, once I kept seeing these online friends at conferences and events, I realized they were every bit as real as those I know offline.
Liz,
I believe that sometimes an online relationship can be more real than the ones we have in person. At least for me personally that can very well be the case because I’m more open and reveal more of myself online than I do in person.
I have a couple of really good real-life friendships and get to spend time with them and talk on the phone at least a couple times a week, but I definitely have seen the disconnect. I do have either my iPhone, my iPad, and/or my laptop with me all the time. I need to “disconnect” more.
I ironically enough have HAD to disconnect more since I’ve been helping with transportation for my niece and nephew back and forth to school, and it’s made a huge difference. I feel like I’m less productive work wise though. However, I have noticed a lot more communication happening between my kids and I, and with them as well. I even have been writing my blog posts with a pen and paper outside, and that has opened a different side of me that I haven’t opened up in a LONG time. I wonder how a pen and paper can make that much of a difference?
I’ll be completely honest, I’ll only have one best friend that I talk to and occasionally hang out with (he lives 600 miles away). We originally met online and have been best friends for 13 years. Even though I’m a loner by preference, I see where it’s beneficial that I need to extend my friendship circle in the offline world.
I’m a loner by preference too. I am actually working on extending my relationships beyond the online world too. However, to be honest, I wonder when and how I’d be able to have much of a friendship when my kids, blog, and life in general keeps me going all the time. I barely have time to breath as it is now. Look how long it took me to finally get back to responding to my wonderful comments that you all have left me. (Of course, I’ve been helping to take my niece and nephew back and forth to school which is NOT normally anywhere close to a part of my routine, and that sucks out four hours of my day! Which is four hours that I lose doing other things.They are worth it though. But it amazes me how much I don’t get done now.)
This looks very interesting. In this day and age, I think there are a lot more introverts reliant on technology with less relationships.
I have to say I agree with you totally. I use to be such an out going person, but in the same token there was a major part of me that held myself back. I love my online relationships and tend to nurture them more than my in person relationships.
This looks interesting. I had never heard of it. I’m going to check it out.
I have never heard of this movie, but now I really want to see it. Thank you for sharing and I’m looking forward to grabbing my copy and checking it out with the kids.
My kids found it more interesting than I did, and I figured it would have been the other way around. Since we’ve watched that movie they’ve asked for less and less technology. In fact, they are now picking up books to read on their own! It’s so odd having a quiet bunch of kids on my hands.
I will say that I have met some amazing online blogging friends that have become my real world friends!
I have too. I wouldn’t trade those friendships either!