Seeing what they want us to see
Mark Pavilons

And while the public's sense of duty was evident, it's mind-boggling that all it took was a handful of celebrities and would-be artists to wrestle that amount of money from average viewers. Or maybe it's not surprising at all, given the media's hold on us.

It conjures up the image of the famed Pied Piper, followed mindlessly by an endless line of rats.

But we're doing the right thing is the response of the masses. Sure, for one night. How many viewers had a life-altering experience, and will now vow to help the needy wherever they go?

There's an old negative sentiment about walking around wearing rose-colored glasses - not seeing the world for what it really is.

I think this practise has been transformed into an art form these days. Either modern men and women have grown very astute at wearing blinders or they're no longer teaching our young to think for themselves in halls of higher learning.

Could it be that decades of technological prowess and material wealth have effected our retinas and perception of reality? Maybe the widespread use of colored contact lenses has altered our outlook.

Here's a news flash - the world ain't pretty so deal with it, now!

We Canadians like to think of ourselves as compassionate humanitarians, willing to give to any cause or save any plant or creature. The fact of the matter is we're fickle, and we're spoon-fed by the media, huge multinational conglomerates and government into viewing the world in a particular way - the way they want us to see it.

And, more often than not, this has very little to do with reality, but a great deal to do with the bottom line.

We like to think of ourselves as intelligent, assertive, outspoken individuals. We're not, not by a long shot.

Just look around your home and the truth is as plain as the soda in your refrigerator, the potato chips in your cupboard and the footwear by the front door. From our closets to our bathrooms, we're entrenched in a lifestyle not of our own making. It makes you wonder just how much control we do have over our own lives.

Sure, some of us rebel against The Man or Big Brother, and shun mass advertising and the Me, Me, Me lifestyle it promotes.

If the spin doctors can dictate what we eat, drink, wear, drive and use to clean our teeth, how far does their insidious reach stretch?

What about the dissemination of information and the impact of the Internet? Just how much of what we see, hear and read is accurate?

The face of the news media itself is changing in Canada, with mergers and acquisitions. Some TV news stations devote more time to the weather than headline news. The popularity of entertainment-based programs and reality shows far outpaces our need for stimulating brain food.

I often wonder why, given the clout of such media gurus, more emphasis isn't placed on doing good in the world.

That was partially answered by a recent fundraiser conducted by American Idol, which has raised more than $70 million to help children in the U.S. and around the world. That was great, but again, where were these celebrities two or three years ago? Why aren't there monthly telethons to raise needed support for every cause known to man?

The generosity of Americans was clearly demonstrated through the Idol promotion.

Why do their wallets remain closed the rest of the year?

Perhaps we need to enact some legislation that demands a portion of profits from such TV shows and franchises be directed to charity. Call it a generosity tax if you will, but I see nothing wrong with mandating goodwill for those who can afford it. In the case of the Idol franchise, that show has made many people, very, very wealthy. It's about time they "gave back."

And it still disappoints me that the giants in North America spend more on advertising - billions upon billions - than is given to Third World countries. It costs only pennies a day to feed, clothe and medicate the world's children and yet we let them die, needlessly, each and every day.

How can any of us take comfort in that? How can we feel good that we've donated a few bucks to the cause of the month, yet ignore starvation, genocide and global warming the other six days of the week?

What are you prepared to do about it?

I'm not sure how we let this happen.

Not so long ago, when I was in college, we believed we could change the world. We were the guardians of truth and justice and we'd use that power for good. Sadly, that sounds almost corny today. Why?

Why does championing humanity come across as something weird or unusual? Why does making a racket about environmental toxins and deadly food additives come across as alarmist?

Maybe our foe is bigger than we once believed. Perhaps we're being constantly beaten down by the Big Brother machinery, that wants us to believe the world is beautiful. After all, a happy consumer is a generous one.

As long as we keep buying and spending, the world is rosy for those in ivory towers, looking down on the misery.

We can accept what we're being fed or we can choose another path, one that will lead to enlightenment and freedom.

We can read, investigate and learn. We can choose to see things for what they really are and we can start to talk about it. We can help bring about change. Most importantly, we can encourage our children to do the same - to learn, question and believe they can change the world.