’50 Shades’ – it ‘lacks grey matter’ and ‘why its so wildly popular’

Kirsten Anderson over at LifeSiteNews.com posted a very sage analysis of “50 Shades of Grey” and compares it to the “Twilight” franchise from which the Grey stories were drawn: The real reason 50 Shades is so wildly popular (HINT: It’s not the sex). I didn’t read the Grey books and haven’t seen the movie – and am planning to do neither – so I am trusting that Anderson and my film critic colleague over at USAToday, Claudia Puig, who did see the film (not sure about Anderson but it seems that she may have) have to say about 50 Shades: ‘Fifty Shades’ lacks gray matter, as well as heat.

Please note, the LifeSiteNews encourages a boycott – I do not. Boycotts only enflame and entice. I think information that respects the person’s ability to reflect and choose is the better and more productive way to go.

Few seem to recall that the Vatican issued a very wise document “On Pornography and Violence in the Communications Media” back in 1989. It is a fast read and offers all of us information and insight to enlighten our consciences about the dignity of the human person – and the link between violence and sex in our culture. Mainstream “entertainment” normalizes behavior. Domestic violence is pervasive and sexual assault in the US military and on college campuses are on the increase. While it is difficult to prove cause and effect, the values – or lack thereof – of a culture emerge from the stories the culture tells and consumes.

I don’t think we are becoming desensitized however – this is a misnomer. To be desensitized one must first be sensitized and obviously this is not the case.

The proper word to describe our cultures uncritical consumption of entertainment media is “habituation.” We become so used to things we accept them as normal and move on to something else.

Critical thinking – asking questions – here about what media we consume and what it means – is not just the hottest political buzz word that politicos use (I don’t think they know what it means because if they did they would either quit or actually serve the people they represent) but a lifeskill that is imperative for the 21st century.

Here are a couple of guides for the media mindful Christian who cares about their spiritual life – and it’s never too late to start thinking about our media lives:

And here’s another version: