Programmed by a Laugh Track?

“Words make you think. Music makes you feel. A song makes you feel a thought.” Yip Harburgch

When I was quite young, my older sister was having a discussion with someone about sit-coms. In the course of the discussion, she suggested that TV show laugh-tracks were being used as a way to program the thinking of the audience. Her contention was that by overlaying the sound of a prerecorded audience laughing at a place the producers think, or want you to think, is funny, you become conditioned to laughing at those kinds of things. Therefore, your sense of humor may slowly be reprogrammed. I was too young to take in the full implications of that idea, but for some reason, it stuck with me. As I thought about it, it seemed very plausible. Some years later it occurred to me that there was another powerful ‘programmer’ used in TV, theater and movies. This is music. Music has been long been cherished for its ability capture our moods and deliver us to distant, exciting and unusual places. Anything our imagination can conjure can become a mental reality. Of course, reading a story can do something like that as well. Your imagination interprets the descriptions of characters, emotions, places and events, bringing the story to life. However, the addition of music to story is most powerful. This can be a strong programmer as well.

Music and reading offer a sort of one-dimensional stimulus for your imagination. This allows for greater participation in the entertainment or learning process. You get to remain more ‘you’ because it is your imagination that is playing out the story in the narrative. This requires more energy mentally, but working mental muscles is good. With lyrics, a topical element is added, focusing you on a theme, but the music is the emotional connection. Audio/visual media can provide you with not only topical input, but is embellished with multiple sights and sounds. Much of the imaginative mental work is removed.  Perhaps that is why multi-media makes popular entertainment. Whatever the case, there is less opportunity for you to remain you, and makes you more susceptible to programming. The producer controls the topic as well as the visual and audio stimulus. Your own thoughts, feelings, and even opinions can be subtly overridden.

It seems to me that music is the most important facet of this. Verbiage provides topical information, sound and imagery provides context and visual stimulus, but music enhances emotional engagement and direction. Music causes anticipation, carries you into a situation and enlightens you about the gravity, intensity and mode. Is the upcoming scene sad? The first few bars of the music set you up to be ready with Kleenex. Is the scene celebratory? Lighthearted and joyful music precedes it. Sudden changes may cause anxiety or fear, or release tension. Whatever the scene is portraying, it is music that will likely give you the sense of importance of the topic, the context, and what your response should be.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Most people like a good movie, play or video game.  It provides an escape for a while to refresh an exhausted soul. Sometimes there is even an education to be had.  If we pay attention, opportunities come from media to have a mirror held to our face to see who we are, or perhaps show us who we might like to be. We really don’t want life to be static and media can help move us.          

These thoughts are cautionary, not critical. When we’re aware of possible pitfalls, it is easier to spot them and hopefully to avoid them. I opened with programming. Media has an important influence in our life. Realize that you’re subject to it. Choose carefully what sources you accept input from. There are many people whose goal is to change your mind, but not all have your best interest at heart. It’s worth taking time to determine the truth or falsehood of what you take in. The truth can be seen by its fruit and will always yield good things, though perhaps not immediately, and it may be uncomfortable. With truth you have a grounding point by which you can judge all ideas that come your way. When we’re aware of pitfalls, we can positively change our direction to avoid them.

Is my choice of music edifying? Has media affected my outlook in a bad way? Am I addicted to entertainment?  Do I use media to cover my discomfort? Am I overly influenced by one source? Perhaps we should reflect on the effects of media, and examine our choices in music, print, and multi-media. We need to make sure we’re using it, and are not being  passively programmed by it.