Week 1 - Cobb - Chapter 1

I really enjoyed how Cobb talked about the effects of TV and media on us. I agree with him that TV has reduced our desire for substance with its focus on pictures instead of words and its proliferate use of spectacle and the sensational to keep viewers interested. This has shaped our perception of reality in some scary ways. I love my TV but the fact that I look forward to it so much scares me. I agree with Cobb's assertion that many people depend on TV and entertainment to construct their sense of reality and value system (we all do probably to one degree or another). My question is, does the Church need to compete with mass media for people's attention to be relevant? How is the Church and Christian spirituality different from a product or service? On another note, I didn't quite connect with Cobb's point about Disney being a reliable intellectual commentary on culture and a beacon of hope for early 20th century America. I mean, I like Donald Duck as much as the next guy but seeing him as a message of political and cultural significance is a bit of a stretch. Maybe that wasn't Cobb's point but it sure seemed that way.