Wake-up! The world has changed – (just in case you didn’t know!)

As Story-keepers, we are called to communicate the gospel to screenagers. Communication is not data transfer. So, it is important that we recognize the inner dynamics of the ‘image-culture’ and understand how it is changing the way we ‘see’ and ‘listen’ and ‘think’. I needn’t remind you that the world has changed. The best metaphor to describe the change we are experiencing is T20 cricket (although it arrived late in the scene).

If you had followed the T20 format, you’d agree with me that the face of the game has changed so much.  The ‘hit and giggle’ game ( as it is referred to) is so much different from what it once used to be – Test Cricket which is a slow game played for 5 whole days and with no guarantee of a result. T20  is also different from the one-day game wherein the ‘start’ and the ‘finish’ provide for both ‘excitement’ and ‘aggression’ that people crave for. The T20 version of the game speaks the ‘Generation Next’ language. It promises electrifying entertainment through a shorter format to cater to the changing tastes, needs and aspirations of the spectators.

Did you know Cricket would have lost its sway over people had it not kept itself in-step with the changing times? Test cricket became one-day cricket in an attempt to capture the imagination of sports lovers. When one-day cricket was plagued by ‘predictability’, ‘politics’, ‘match fixing’ and ‘boring middle overs’  and our interest in the game was slowly dying out, cricket managers have bowled us over with a ‘googly’ (or maybe it’s doosra). T20 cricket has changed the way we played (and watched) cricket. We live in a changing world. Wake-up! Our world has already changed – (just in case you didn’t know!)

Engaging with cultural products

- by Samuel Thambusamy

I am often asked the question: Why do you write on music videos and movies? I have always often the querry interesting. The question is “Why?” rather than “how?”. My response has always been ” “Why not?”. The question ” Why not?” has provided me the drive to do a lot of things.

I often ask sunday school teachers if they are aware of the 10 most popular songs of the week. The answer always is a resounding “NO”. I also ask them if they are aware of the movies that kids are watching and what it is all about. The answer is always a resounding ‘No’. Whether we like it or not, believe it or not, accept it or not Kids are listening to the songs and watching movies. They are talking about it to their friends. They are reading about it in magazines. They are searching for it on the net. They are looking around to get them.

Music/movies/magazines have a way of finding us and entering our ‘mind-space’. Internet connectivity makes music (and videos) available, accessible and afordable. You don’t have to wait endlessly till it becomes outdated in the West to reach India. Today, you get it instantly on the net. Sugababes song ” About you now” is the No 1 song in the UK charts. YOu can watch it on youtube.

Music is not just Music. Movies are not just movies. Magazines are not just magazines. They present (and promote) a philosophy of life. Musicians are increasingly becoming the philosophers of our times. Popular culture brings “cultural moments” closer to our lifespace. What is a cultural moment? A cultural moment is when a movie, song or a television show becomes extremely popular. We must help our young people to engage with it.

Often times, the teaching that young people receive is of no consequence to their lifespace. It is almost as if we have nothing to say about their world or everything to say about their world. We get into a condemnatory mode and demand that they throw everything out of their lifespace. We do not let the gospel enter their lifespace, encounter the alternate visions presented by music videos/movies etc and engage them in a conversation with these competing voices and make an evaluation for themselves.

I believe that is why it is important to follow the music that finds cultural prominence and help young people ‘encounter-engage and evalate’ the music that enters their lifespace. Wisdomtree is mindful of its calling to ‘resource’ and “engage” in cultural apologetics (dismantling the philosophies of this world) and disentangling people from its effects. A wide range of resources are available at cogwheel.wordpress.com