The constant barrage of bad news in a 24 hour news cycle, coupled with opportunities for multi-platfrom entertainment 24/7 with its relentless gospel of consumerism, can be depressing and overwhelming. The demands this electronically mediated environment places on the human person, body and spirit, depending on age and circumstance, requires a response that is personal, social, and cultural. Sister Rose will lead us on a silence-prayer-conversation reflection on this reality using sight and sound samples from popular media to discover ways to breathe and grow joyfully while "under the influence." I gave this presentation at Loyola University, Baltimore, Feb. 28, 2014, faculty retreat, Education Department.

1. Under
the
Influence:
Breathing
Life
and
Spirit
in/to
a
Mediated
World
Rose
Paca>e,
MEd
Media
Studies
Pauline
Center
for
Media
Studies
Los
Angeles,
CA
PaulineCMS.com

2. Our
response
in
a
noisy
mediated
world
of
stories
• The
demands
that
are
made
on
the
human
person,
body,
mind,
spirit
• Asks
of
us
personal,
social
and
cultural
responses

3. What’s
your
story?

4. Silence
&
the
Word
A
forgo>en
aspect
of
communicaNon?

5. RelaNonship
between
silence
and
the
Word
• Alternate
and
balance
• Integrate
one
with
the
other
• To
allow
authenNc
dialogue
and
achieve
deep
closeness
between
people

6. CommunicaNon
breaks
down
when
• Word
&
silence
become
mutually
exclusive
• Giving
rise
to
confusion
and
coldness

7. CommunicaNon
acquires
value
and
meaning
when
The
Word
and
silence
compliment
one
another

8. Silence
is
an
integral
part
of
human
existence
When
absent
Words
rich
in
content
cannot
exist

9. The
word
is
all
around
us

10. Who
is
my
digital
neighbor?
• Today
we
are
living
in
a
world
which
is
growing
ever
“smaller”
and
where,
as
a
result,
it
would
seem
to
be
easier
for
all
of
us
to
be
neighbors.
• Though
closer
than
ever
deep
divisions
within
our
human
family.
• On
the
global
level
we
see
a
scandalous
gap
between
the
opulence
of
the
wealthy
and
the
u>er
desNtuNon
of
the
poor.

11. • We
have
become
so
accustomed
to
these
things
that
they
no
longer
unse>le
us.
• Our
world
suffers
from
many
forms
of
exclusion,
marginalizaNon
and
poverty,
• To
say
nothing
of
conflicts
born
of
a
combinaNon
of
economic,
poliNcal,
ideological,
and,
sadly,
even
religious
moNves.

12. Voices
from
the
culture
•
•
•
•
Movies
about
breathing,
taking
a
breath
Listening
Silence
And
someNmes
…
change

16. From
silence
arises
jusNce

20. The
word
is
all
around
us
the
word
is
us

21. Personal
silence

22. In
silence
We
can
listen
and
understand
ourselves

23. In
silence
Ideas
are
born
and
deepen

24. In
Silence
We
gain
clarity
and
understanding
of
– What
we
want
to
say
– What
we
expect
from
others
– How
we
choose
to
express
ourselves

25. In
silence
We
allow
others
to
speak

26. In
silence
We
avoid
being
Ned
to
our
own
untested
point
of
view

27. In
silence
Space
is
created
for
mutual
listening
and
deeper
human
relaNonships

28. In
silence
we
observe
authenNc
communicaNon
Facial
expressions
and
body
language
are
how
people
reveal
themselves
to
one
another
in
love
(or
not)

29. Silence
is
a
powerful
mode
of
expression
All
human
living
is
communicated
– Joy
– Anxiety
– Suffering

30. Silence
gives
rise
to
acNve
communicaNon
That
requires
– SensiNvity
– A
capacity
to
listen
These
manifest
• The
true
nature
and
measure
of
relaNonships

31. In
noise
• Silence
is
essenNal
for
discernment
• To
disNnguish
what
is
important
from
what
is
insignificant
or
secondary.

32. In
silence
Deeper
reflecNon
helps
us
discover
links
between
events
that
at
first
seem
unrelated

33. In
silence
We
can
become
media
mindful
•
Evaluate
informaNon
•
Analyze
messages

34. The
media
mindful
person
Then
shares
thoughaul
and
relevant
opinions
that
give
rise
to
an
authenNc
body
of
shared
knowledge

35. Create
your
own
media
environment,
eco-­‐system
A
balance
between
– Silence
– Words
– Images
– Sound

38. Benefits
of
authenNc
communicaNon
A
culture
of
encounter,
solidarity,
good

39. Search
engines
&
social
media
StarNng
point
for
communicaNon

40. Today
the
process
of
communicaNon
is
fueled
by
the
search
for
answers
•
•
•
•
Advice
Ideas
InformaNon
Answers

41. People
are
bombarded
by
answers
to
quesNons
they
have
not
asked
And
needs
they
did
not
know
they
had

42. Silence
is
precious
• So
we
can
focus
on
important
quesNons
• Exercise
discernment
• In
the
informaNon
surge
and
entertainment
sNmuli
in
which
we
live

43. The
human
condiNon
sNll
seeks
existenNal
meaning
•
•
•
•
•
Who
am
I?
Why
am
I
here?
What
can
I
know?
What
am
I
to
do?
What
may
I
hope?

44. In
silence
• We
affirm
those
who
ask
these
quesNons
when
we
can
give
more
than
a
hasty
answer
• We
then
open
the
possibility
for
profound
dialogue
• We
call
them
to
silent
reflecNon
• …
and
to
reach
into
the
depths
of
their
being
and
open
themselves
to
what
God
has
wri>en
on
their
hearts

45. Constant
flow
of
quesNons
• Demonstrates
the
restlessness
of
the
human
heart
• People
constantly
searching
for
truths
of
lesser
or
greater
import
• …
to
give
meaning
to
their
lives

46. We
all
yearn
and
search
for
truth
But
we
cannot
rest
content
with
a
superficial
and
unquesNoning
exchange
of
skepNcal
opinions
and
experiences
of
life

47. “When
people
exchange
informaNon,
they
are
already
sharing
themselves,
their
view
of
the
world,
their
hopes,
their
ideals”

48. CommunicaNon
is
a
human
endeavor
not
technological
–
Pope
Francis
• Who
is
my
digitl
neighbor?
• The
parable
of
the
Good
Samaritan,
which
is
also
a
parable
about
communicaNon.
• Those
who
communicate,
in
effect,
become
neighbors.
• The
Good
Samaritan
not
only
draws
nearer
to
the
man
he
finds
half
dead
on
the
side
of
the
road;
he
takes
responsibility
for
him.
• CommunicaNon
is
really
about
realizing
that
we
are
all
human
beings,
children
of
God.
I
like
seeing
this
power
of
communicaNon
as
“neighborliness”.

49. Pay
a>enNon
Know
where
websites
and
social
network
sites
are
that
can
help
people
find
Nme
for
reflecNon

50. Create
•
•
•
•
•
Provide
content
for
reflecNon
Prayer
experiences
MeditaNon
Sharing
the
Word
Living
the
Word

51. Tweet
the
Word
But
concise
phrases
sNll
need
the
context
of
a
culNvated
inner
life

52. World
religious
tradiNons:
silence
is
a
privileged
state
For
people
to
rediscover
self
and
the
Truth
that
gives
meaning
to
all
things

53. The
God
of
revelaNon
needs
no
words

54. In
darkness
God
speaks
in
silence

55. Eloquent,
loving
silence

56. wHat
we
can
discover
in
silence

57. AuthenNc
communicaNon
=
taking
responsibility
• Whenever
communicaNon
is
primarily
aimed
at
promoNng
consumpNon
or
manipulaNng
others,
we
are
dealing
with
a
form
of
violent
aggression
• like
that
suffered
by
the
man
in
the
parable,
who
was
beaten
by
robbers
and
leh
abandoned
on
the
road.

58. • The
Levite
and
the
priest
do
not
regard
him
as
a
neighbour,
but
as
a
stranger
to
be
kept
at
a
distance.
• In
those
days,
it
was
rules
of
ritual
purity
which
condiNoned
their
response.
• Nowadays
there
is
a
danger
that
certain
media
so
condiNon
our
responses
that
we
fail
to
see
our
real
neighbor.

59. • EffecNve
ChrisNan
witness
is
not
about
bombarding
people
with
religious
messages,
• but
about
our
willingness
to
be
available
to
others
“by
paNently
and
respecaully
engaging
their
quesNons
and
their
doubts
as
they
advance
in
their
search
for
the
truth
and
the
meaning
of
human
existence”

61. Along
the
way
• Let
our
communicaNon
be
a
balm
which
relieves
pain
and
a
fine
wine
which
gladdens
hearts.
•
May
the
light
we
bring
to
others
not
be
the
result
of
cosmeNcs
or
special
effects,
but
rather
of
our
being
loving
and
merciful
“neighbors”
to
those
wounded
and
leh
on
the
side
of
the
road.
• Let
us
boldly
become
ciNzens
of
the
digital
world.
•
The
Church
needs
to
be
concerned
for,
and
present
in,
the
world
of
communicaNon,
in
order
to
dialogue
with
people
today
and
to
help
them
encounter
Christ.
• The
Church
needs
to
be
a
Church
at
the
side
of
others,
capable
of
accompanying
everyone
along
the
way.

62. Breathe,
breathing,
empowering
others
to
breathe

63. Silent
contemplaNon
•
•
•
•
•
Immerses
us
in
the
grandeur
of
God
And
the
source
of
Love
Who
directs
us
to
our
neighbour
So
we
can
feel
their
suffering
And
as
a
response
offer
them
– The
light
of
Christ
– His
message
of
life
– His
saving
gih
of
the
fullness
of
love

64. Silent
contemplaNon
• Leads
us
to
the
eternal
Word,
the
Creator
of
the
world
• Who
becomes
more
present
to
us
• Makes
us
aware
of
God’s
plan
being
accomplished
in
history

65. In
silence
we
learn
“to
communicate
that
which
we
have
seen
and
heard”
(1
Jn:
1-­‐3)

66. This
mystery
impels
us
to
become
heralds
of
hope
&
salvaNon
and
witnesses
of
that
love
which
promotes
human
dignity
and
builds
jusNce
and
peace