Creating Healthier Media Habits

Good media fosters connection. Bad media isolates us.
Healthy media enriches both you and others. Unhealthy media diminishes everyone involved.

Over the past month, several discussions have solidified my thoughts on these distinctions.

It reminds me of Jack Wyrtzen’s approach to his Quiet Time. For him, daily Bible reading wasn’t complete until he had shared it with someone else.

We live in an age of virtually unlimited media. Given the sheer volume created daily, it feels dishonest to describe it as anything less than infinite. But having unlimited options doesn’t mean having unlimited healthy options.

Growing up without high-speed internet during my formative years, I remember when a friend would buy a new album, and we’d gather to listen to it together. It was a shared experience that brought us closer.

Today, much of music consumption is solitary. Worse, it often carries negative messages or encourages harmful behavior. The experience of listening to music, along with its message, can isolate you or lead you toward unhealthy influences.

This is just one example of how media consumption has changed. Sadly, I believe it’s mostly for the worse.

To navigate this landscape, I’ve been applying a personal rubric to my media consumption:

1. Does this inspire me to have a meaningful conversation with someone?
2. Does it offer an idea that strengthens relationships or tears them down?
3. Have I learned a new skill or valuable piece of information?
4. Has this created a shared experience that deepens my connection with someone else?

In a world overflowing with media, it’s more important than ever to be intentional about what we consume and how it shapes our lives and relationships.