More Word, Less Image

A major element in what we consider child misbehavior is visual stimulation. This is well known, but seldom stated. The way the human brain works, visual stimulation is very much like any other stimulant — it becomes addictive.

If you want to see better behavior in children, reduce the cultural emphasis on visual stimulation. The faster, the more complex and bolder the colors, the more it affects them. This includes TV, all computer video, etc. And don’t imagine that you can escape as an adult. You can develop an addiction later in life. However, with children it’s rather like gaining an addiction in the womb; different aspects of the brain’s development continue throughout life, but the worst damage is done by about age 12.

Let me propose an experiment: Try reducing your own exposure to visual stimulation for a little while. The longer you do, the more your spiritual life will grow. Did you think we were kidding about the difference between western and Hebrew thinking? The Hebrew orientation is the one God designed for His people, and it’s not a visual orientation. It’s auditory; it’s not about intellectual ideals, but about moral authority. A part of this would be reducing the visual stimulation effect of things like smart phones.

I realize that we cannot simply force our world to comply with our demands. What I’m suggesting here is your own internal orientation. If you consciously resist the temptation to visual stimulation, you gain in spiritual strength. In the biblical approach to human morality, text and speech are everything. The flesh prefers visual stimulation; the spirit calls for less of that.