Media’s pornography and violence are painful pleasures. Undoubtedly, media is the most used abused and misused reality of the modern era. It’s a dangerous sign of graver moral crisis which, I believed, is the root of other crises namely, political, fiscal and economic. “Pornography and sadistic violence debase sexuality, corrode human relationships, exploits individuals- especially women and young people, undermine marriage and family life, foster anti-social behavior and weaken moral fiber of the society” (Pornography and Violence 471). The nobility and sacredness of sex is reduced into a mere carnal satisfaction. How many young people today deliberately involved in this fleshy activity and even bragging it to their friends? There is this wrong mentality regarding sex among teens that sex is prerequisite of a modern day teenager. It decays human relationships. Pornography and violence destroys mutual trust and respect among friends and couples. It also undermines the traditional form of courtship. These lessen the value of any human relationships. Young people flirt, but they are afraid of commitment. In effect relationships could easily falter. Pornography and violence exploit young people and women. Most often than not women and the young are the object of pornographic materials such as DVD’s, VCD’s, printed materials, and the likes. Mas mabenta daw. They are as well the object of violence. Perhaps, this is because society looks at women inferior to man. Pornography and violence demoralize marriage and family life. Percentage of people engaging in pre-marital sex is escalating. Two in every five friends of mine confessed their experiences to me. Gone are the days when man was not allowed to stay or even sleep with the woman until they are married. Now, this mentality is gradually evaporating. That is why annulment cases in the Philippines are also increasing. As a result, there are more broken families. Pornography and violence foster anti-social behavior and immorality. Last December I was saddened by the news in my town. Two college students, an item, whom I personally know, give us an idea of a very disgusting social behavior. The girl was pregnant, they hid it to their parents (they were excellent at that). When the baby finally enter the world this young parents decided to banish him immediately. They have decided to throw him, and they did literally throw him from the second floor of the building. Thereafter the innocent child exit into the world. Now they are both in jail. I remember the Filipino saying, “ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”… ay wala na. Why? Why? Why? Those were my three questions upon hearing the news. Sometimes it is hard to imagine how can us youth become the future of this nation. I cannot comprehend these people. I am not saying that I am better than them, that I am righteous or what? I don’t know. But still, I believe in the power of true love, sacredness of sex, nobleness of marriage, and dignity of life. This is the painful reality, this is the false pleasure. This is the painful pleasure of pornography and violence in media communication. Pornography and violence offers us nothing but, shallow pleasure, conscientious feeling, disrespectful and aggressive attitude, weakening faith and SIN. I am talking based on my more personal experience. However, “There is a Way to be Good Again” as what was said in the film Kite Runner. Certainly, the Christian formation that I received in the seminary is my greatest help. As I was reflecting, if I am not here perhaps I am already absorbed by the wrong mentality outside the walls of the seminary. Perhaps I am like the others. Baka mas malala pa. “Of particular are programs in media education to develop in young people a critical attitude and properly formed skills of discernment in using television, radio, and other media, so that they might know how to resist manipulation and how to avoid merely passive listening and viewing habits” (Pornography and Violence 486). Course like media literacy is very helpful for me to be critical on what media tells. It guides me in my daily contact with media. It also shields me from the different traps of media. Media is good when we use it properly. It is bad when we misused, and abused it. It is a gratifying pleasure to be entertained properly by the media. It is a painful pleasure to be deceived by it.
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