Did you ever notice how much of what we call “entertainment” leaves us unsettled?
It doesn’t matter if you’re watching the nightly news, a courtroom drama, or a reality show about dating in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The effect is nearly always the same: your pulse quickens, your muscles tighten, and your mind becomes hyperalert… but not in a good way. The body prepares for danger—even though you’re safe on the couch.
And the ego? It’s having a field day.
Fear on Every Channel
If the ego had a favorite tool in the modern world, television would be a strong contender. News headlines flash like sirens: “Breaking: Catastrophic Floods!” “Markets in Turmoil!” “Tensions Escalate—Is War Coming?”
The message is loud and clear: Be afraid. Stay afraid. Tune in tomorrow.
It doesn’t stop there. Prime-time dramas paint a world of betrayal, corruption, and tragedy. Even our so-called “reality shows” thrive on conflict—who’s lying, who’s cheating, who’s getting voted off the island.
And then come the commercials. Just when you thought the content itself was enough, you’re subtly (or not so subtly) told that you are not enough unless you:
- Buy this anti-aging serum (“Don’t let them see your wrinkles!”)
- Install this security system (“Protect what matters most!”)
- Switch to this insurance provider (“What if disaster strikes tomorrow?”)
Fear is the currency, and the ego is the banker.
ACIM: The Contrast is Blinding
“You but do this to yourself.” (A Course in Miracles, T-27.VIII.10.1)
ACIM teaches that fear is always of our own making, but the ego is clever—it uses the world to convince us otherwise. And television is one of its most efficient tools. It externalizes fear, wraps it in drama and urgency, and then invites us to consume it for hours at a time.
The Course reminds us, “Projection makes perception.” (T-21.In.1:1)
If we allow our minds to be filled with images of danger, lack, and division, we will begin to see a world that matches. We will perceive through fear-tinted lenses, and the ego will whisper, “See? I told you the world is dangerous.”
But what if we turned it off?
Not forever. Just long enough to notice how we feel in its absence.
What if, instead of beginning and ending the day with images of conflict, we turned inward to the stillness that ACIM invites?
“The peace of God is shining in you now, and from your heart extends around the world.”
—A Course in Miracles, W-188.3:1
That’s not a metaphor. It’s a reminder. The peace you seek on-screen—justice, safety, love, abundance—is already inside you, waiting to be uncovered beneath layers of noise and programming (pun intended).
A Gentle Vacation from Fear
Here’s a radical suggestion: take a vacation—not from your job or your responsibilities—but from externally induced fear. Start with a single day.
- Turn off the news.
- Skip the evening drama.
- Mute the commercials or better yet, walk away from the screen entirely.
Instead, go outside. Watch a tree dance in the wind. Feel your breath slow. Read a passage from A Course in Miracles. Or simply sit in stillness and ask, “What would You have me see instead?”
You might find that peace is not something you chase. It’s something you allow.
Not Condemnation, But Awareness
This isn’t a crusade against television. I still enjoy the occasional well-written documentary or uplifting program. But awareness matters. The ego thrives in unconscious consumption. It hides its purpose behind the glow of the screen.
You are not wrong for watching. You are simply invited to notice how you feel when you do. Do you feel more peaceful? Or more anxious? More trusting of life? Or more suspicious of the world?
The ego feeds on fear. Spirit thrives on truth. And truth, as ACIM reminds us, “needs no defense.”
The Remote Is in Your Hands
The next time you’re about to click through the channels, ask yourself:
“Is this leading me toward love—or toward fear?”
Then, gently, without judgment, choose again.
While I enjoy writing these reflections, my hope is to spark your curiosity, not to preach.
If this message resonates with you, I invite you to explore more at www.dinojamesbooks.com or join the ongoing dialogue at Awakening Minds: Reflections and Conversations Inspired by ACIM on Facebook.
And if you’ve found even a moment of peace from this, I’d be deeply grateful if you shared it, or left a review to help others find the same.
The world can be noisy. But you are not of the world. You are the light that cannot be hidden. Let it shine—fearlessly.