I must start this by saying that as a Baal Teshuva, probably everyone here has more knowledge than I, but if it wasn’t for the internet I wouldn’t have a lot of the knowledge that I now hold dear, nor would I be able to learn from sites such as this one, especially as I need to look up quite a number of things people refer to or use. It’s the old, “The more I learn, then more I realize I don’t know.” <G>.
I think that just about every media source has both positives and negatives, all depending upon how it is used.
Do I think a lot of what is on TV or in movies these days is trash? Yes, but I chose which TV shows or movies to see. On TV, I watch news broadcasts. I will also say that I watch some History or Discovery channel shows, etc. but certainly do not watch shows that have people in scantily dress, promote immoral behavior as fun, etc.
It is the same when I pick a movie to enjoy (although my favorite is still the same as when I was 5, The Music Man – which I also understand some may object to because of the male/female dancing, etc).
Do I slip up sometimes and get caught up in a silly sci-fi or such? Of course I do, but, as a rabbi once said to me, that’s why it’s called an avaria. I realize it and look for something else that is entertaining and, at the same time, healthier for my neshama.
One could also apply the same to books. There are plenty of trashy novels out there, but I chose not to read those, preferring instead to read books that will help me learn and/or strengthen my emunah.
There is a reason HaShem gave us free will, it is what we chose to do (or watch) that makes us who we are. The questions are simple: Who do we chose to be and what do we chose to allow to influence our lives.
Please note that I am speaking only of adults, children are another matter entirely.
Listen, I use to work in Law Enforcement. One day I realized that I was cursing a lot more than was typical for me. I made the decision that I didn’t like that and began to set goals for myself. OK, I will go a shift today without cursing, then a week, then it just became a part of who I was and I stopped cursing at all. And this was before I started to become more observant. I was able to do that because I was given free will and was able to chose to change what I felt was a negative behavior.