A study was recently released (linked above) where Fox News viewers were paid to watch CNN for one month.  By the end of the study, their views had shifted to varying degrees.

What might this indicate?  The human mind is malleable and influenced by exposure.  And, this illustrates the media’s influence and effectiveness at shaping our beliefs and behavior.

That’s why I have, among many, two main rules for media discernment.

1. Don’t react.  When a story comes out, no matter how shocking or sensational, don’t react.  Take a step back.
2. If the media is reporting heavily on only one side of a story, proceed with caution.

(Note – the study’s author said if we had a Democratic president during the time of study, he would have had CNN viewers watch Fox for a month.  So, this isn’t a vendetta against those tuning in to the conservative “news” outlet, though liberal “news” outlets have tried to paint it as such.)

If interested in subjects like the one above, check out my book – The Pit:Transcend Money, Save the World.