Marx was wrong about a lot of things, one of those was his view that religion is the opium of the people.  In today’s world, entertainment is the opium of the people.

Think about it for a moment, how many of us live for what is on television?

Today there are countless options for entertainment available for most people.  Sports, music, movies, TV shows, games, and much more is readily available to the average person.  Its big business too, think about how much money is being spent televising the Winter Olympics along with sponsorships and promotion of the athletes.  Entertainment is everywhere too;  magazines, radio, internet, phone apps, theme parks, TV, and events.  The consumer has a lot of choices and many of us partake in this cornucopia of amusement.

But what is the result of all this?  Does immersion in passive enjoyment numb us to the responsibilities that accompany adulthood?

Think of it another way, is entertainment preventing its audience from becoming prepared for the unexpected?  Let’s face it, all of us have a limited amount of time, money, and energy to give.  If these resources are allocated towards watching TV or going to the movies, what does that leave for preparing?  Its a question of priorities and unfortunately, most people are well-entertained yet poorly-prepared.  When the unexpected happens, this will result in needless suffering that could have been prevented.

Here is a thought to contemplate, how ready are you for the unexpected?  Maybe instead of spending hours in front of the TV, spend that time learning how to perform first aid.  Rather than spending money watching a movie, take a firearms safety class or spend a few hours at the range improving your marksmanship.  Another thought is learn how to cook meals instead of going out to eat.  There are a lot of simple things we can all do to become better prepared.  The first step is acknowledging that we have a responsibility to do so, the second step is to acquire the skills and tools we need to become better prepared.  Its an investment in time and effort that will yield results when the unexpected happens.