Controlling the Narrative

[HKHaugan]

Controlling the Narrative

       If you really think you are in control of what you think, take a second look.  Do you get upset by the daily happenings on TV and other media?  Do you find yourself fuming over issues which absorb your time and energy?  Are they controlling you or you them? 

       Believe it or not, media language controls the social mindset.  By ‘social mindset’ we mean the major social issues that consume TV and other news sources.  Social justice, poverty, racial overtones, corporation policies, government programs and political biases make up in the media  what is known as ‘the narrative.’  By definition ‘narrative ‘is the connected story about what is happening in any social concern within a culture. 

       Narrative is buoyed by ‘the conversation’ which implies a single theme centered on by celebrities keeping the theme alive in the media.   Keeping the ‘conversation going’ adds to the ‘narrative’ which people engage in to change any social condition.  Unfortunately, what guides the narrative, the conversation, usually involves taking a stand that says, ‘unless you believe what I believe you can’t be part of the conversation.’  ‘Narrative’ also carries the same qualification.  It keeps a record of the items contained in the ‘conversation.’  Anyone not in tune with the intention of the ‘narrative’ remains uninvited to take part in the ‘conversation.’  The accepted intention of ‘narrative’ and its ongoing ‘conversation’ is ‘change’ regardless of what happens as a result.  This is the new objectivity which is really subjective intimidation.

       So, what drives the media is keeping as much conflict as possible in front of the readers and viewers.  Appearing objective, ‘We’re only reporting what is happening,’ the writers and talking heads are basically agitators who are really redefining objectivity.  ‘We’re only reporting what is happening,” therefore absolving themselves from being complicit as agitators.  Their mantra is ‘The public has the right to know.’  Underneath this leaky umbrella is media executives and their profit motive as well as individuals seeking notoriety and awards for their reportage.  Conflict sells. Bad news is good news. 

       The purpose is not only profit but keeping alive a social fluidity called ‘change.’  It really doesn’t matter what change happens.  Change in any form is good.  Social change, moral change, lifestyle change, any change anywhere at any time is good.  That is the presumption.  What we have here is a continual subtle process that hides under the euphemisms of ‘conversation,’ ‘narrative’ and ‘change.’ It is right out of the devil’s playbook. 

       Here we have the modern social atmosphere, unrest and division with the media’s one-sided narrative, endless conversation and a sustained movement called change.  The media exploit the process, politicians exploit the process, academics exploit the process and people looking for self-justifying causes exploit the process.  The worst of the exploiters are the leaders who make exploitation an industry.  This is the modern paradigm which is really as old as Adam and Eve. With advanced technology and population size it’s just more sophisticated.

       How is all this to be viewed spiritually?  First and foremost is the condition of imperfection in every human heart.  Look at the self-centeredness in each of us, believing we are good by nature, and the frustration of “why can’t we all just get along?”  Then the social platitudes, the fig leaves that wither and fade, but the nakedness of the individual heart still suffering from its pride, judgmental attitudes and self-survival.  No one ever gets life, relationships and attitude right or perfect. 

       Spiritually, the imperfection in every human heart is called sin, the self-centering spiritual disease with which everyone is born.  Sickness, disease, inner unrest, relational conflict and death are its proof.  Sin is the first thing the media and the culturally ‘elite’ don’t want to accept because of the lack of spiritual grounding in their ranks.  Sin doesn’t sell but its products certainly do.  The idea of sin calls individuals to consider their inner worth, their behavior, their moral accountability.  You can’t get anywhere if sin is a part of your resume.

       Yes Virginia, there is a spiritual narrative, a spiritual conversation and a spiritual change.  They are not dictated by the culture, the prevailing social winds, celebrities or the well-intentioned.  Let’s take them as they come. 

       The Narrative.  There is one spiritual narrative and that is the story of the man called Jesus.  He was the Son of God come into the secular world to live the ordinary human life.  He did it perfectly.  His heart was perfect.  He loved His Father and us perfectly and because of that He was rejected and executed on a Cross.  But He rose from the dead to make Himself known through believers who share Him with everyone in their generational time.  The same message of His personal love is carried on.  It is always there for everyone’s benefit.

       The Conversation.  Having died to save mankind from its imperfection of sin He makes Himself available through the Resurrection and power of the Holy Spirit to have a personal relationship with sinners.  He works spiritually in the hearts of each person to offset their imperfections and give them a new life, a spiritual life to start living His way.  The conversation is always about what happens when we live by faith as opposed to the attitudes and opinions of others as well as the cultural intimidation of conformity.

       The Change.  It is a change, a spiritual change that takes place in the heart of the individual.  It’s a change of heart, a change of how we see the world and its people.  They are all images of God like us.  Our focus changes from being led by imperfection caused by sin and the imperfection of others, to being led focusing on Jesus and His spiritual guidance in the Scripture.  Until there is a spiritual change of heart in the individual, the world will always be the same with its attempt to keep us upset by and enslaved to the imperfections in the world.  Every person born into this world needs to receive a loving Lord as opposed to a hating culture.  The proof that it hates us is its conformity and intimidation which denies our individuality.  When individual hearts are changed minds are change, behavior changes, our relational outlook changes, the culture is changed and the society changes, the world is reconciled to God..

       Now here’s the fact.  Instead of the media controlling us, we control the media.  We don’t’ succumb to how bad the world is and stay in its frustration which is the media’s control over us.  We reject them as the surrogate lord of our conscious time and energy.  We focus on the risen living Jesus and our faith relationship with Him.  Letting the Holy Spirit guide all our every next moments, we share with others the love He gives us with whoever we meet wherever we go.  That’s our calling.  Make the life of Jesus our narrative, our conversation and change follows.  Let’s get out there and take back control of the narrative and the conversation and watch the change we will see one heart at a time.  That’s how Jesus did it.  It’s all right there in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.