Manipulation

Manipulation: 1 : to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner
2 a : to manage or utilize skillfully
b : to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage
3 : to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose

I think this is becoming more prevalent as the days go by in our society. I was just driving down the road and bam, the word manipulation gets into my head. This skill is used primarily to hide the track of a person's real agenda. A little while ago, I was talking about intentions. Well, I guess this is part two. Manipulation is a common skill used in warfare strategy to get the upper hand of one's enemies. We see the movies where a beautiful woman entertains a king, seduces him, and when opportunity knocks, they take his life. Nowadays, for certain people to get ahead in life, they play on the love and emotions of people. Some people use money or investment plans to get others to buy into their mumbo jumbo. Some people will use their supposed gift of fab and knowledge to overthrow one to gain position. Some people simply use their good looks to entice others; thereby keeping their sight from seeing the real picture. Some people love to get close to others and then ruin them. I've seen it, I've done it, and I've experienced it. Manipulation has the power to destroy. It's another form of rebellion against ones authority/leadership. It's a form of lust, pride, jealousy, and anger because somebody can't get it their way. Manipulation I believe is one of the top 10 destiny killers in the history of man. From Adam and Eve, to Genghis Khan, to Adolfo Hitler. I'm telling you my friends, we gotta be like one reggae artist St. Matthew says, Wise up. Like they used to say back in the day, it's time to wake up and smell the coffee. Even Nehemiah dealt with manipulation from his enemies but told those jokers he wasn't going to stoop to their level. You know, we live in an interpersonal relationship world. We have to be careful of the bones that's in our closet we share with others. They'll see them and tell everybody your "sacred" business. We have to be careful of how we conduct ourselves especially those of us in management positions. People are praying for our downfall and like vultures, will feed on the dead (I'm learning momma, I'm learning). So how do we overcome manipulation, this thing that will cause us to compromise, to lose heart, to castrate our purpose? We study the Word of God, we pray, we walk in the Spirit, we link up with those who've been where we're trying to go. Most importantly, we come to grips with the fact those who are employed with manipulation are trying to dominate you and make you feel less than. Trust me, I dealt with this all my life and now at 31, I'm standing up straight to confront it with ease. If your businessman and your successful at what you do, don't let nobody make you do anything different. If your an educator who's got a successful track record of teaching, don't let those who are jealous swipe you down with their lies. And married couples, don't let everybody in your business especially when your having "heated fellowship." I know this is a long post but I just couldn't put this in the back burner. Much luv to everybody and get manipulated; be educated!!! (Knowledge with love is power!!!!) Don't let nothing or nobody take away your purpose!!!!

Til next time, gdow

Reference:
Romans 16:19
Revelation 3:11

The Many Faces of News Media

For the past couple of years, I come to work, log into my employee account, and surf the web to check out what's going on in the news. I really don't have a favorite source of news media so I jump from Fox News, to ABC News, to CNN, to Yahoo News, and then to the Daily Beast. All of them provide messages of current events around the world. Today, there are so many things being covered by the news media from the Prince Harry incident (OMG), to the Syrian conflict, to Republican Representative Akin's comments concerning rape and abortion. It's crazy because there are so many views proceeding and sometimes it's hard to make a distinction from the truth and lies. It's crazy, homie. While attending University of Phoenix for my now attained B.S. in Communications, one of my college professors dealt with the topic of news media. He discussed how news media from the journalists, editors, and company executives gather their information, compile the data, and produce it for all the world to see. What are their motives? Are the motives based to thoroughly inform the reader with impartiality? Or are the motive based to manipulate the reader to think a certain way to support a certain agenda? Now this is something to think about. One thing I've learned to understand is that news media can be very "flashy" at times because certain individuals are trying to manipulate readers in how they think about certain topics. For example, a lot of people don't know there are actually three candidates in the presidential race, Barack Obama (Democrat), Mitt Romney (Republican), and Ron Paul (Independent/Republican-not even recognized by the media). Right now, the push is for Romeny/Ryan as they "talk about" the failures of the Obama Administration instead of an epic failure of Congress as a whole. Hmm, interesting, isn't it? There are various other events within the world news media is covering. Some news media are trying to give the people the right information so they will be thoroughly informed. Others have agendas, basically to keep the masses in a box; to make them gullible. As readers, we need to make sure we do research ourselves, don't take every word you hear or read as gold. Search it out. The news media has many faces. Look at what the news media has done to the likes of Pastor Creflo Dollar, Kristen Stewart, and Whitney Houston. The media was almost successful in crucifying Pastor Dollar for his recent parenting incident. The man had to go on national television to clarify what really happened to dispel any rumors, lies, or other manipulative measures by the news media. Kristen Stewart hasn't been so fortunate as she has gone into a cave over the recent revelations of her affair with Snow White And The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. Although what she did was wrong, the director has faced little scrutiny from the news media and now in the process of directing the sequel (while Kristen Stewart becomes the "seemingly" scourge of Hollywood). Whitney Houston's legacy is still in question because of the way the news media has tried to destroy her character as a person, which includes a mother, an artist, a friend, and a wife. Now, there are testimonies from Jordin Sparks, Tamela Mann, and her road dogs the Winans concerning the life and times of Whitney Houston. They talk about her struggles but show she was about investing into other's lives that they may be more successful than she. As Americans, it's time we take time to read, do research, and start to call out the news media when they go off tangents about event or people in the wrong way. We'll delve in the realms of manipulation and hate people or misinterpret events without even recognizing Reading and research is fundamental and is a God given gift. I just wanted to share some nuggets of wisdom with you all and hopefully you'll see where I'm coming from with all this. It's the honor of kings (us) to search out matters and the affairs of the world. Check it out for yourself. Learn to decipher the truth from the lies the various facets of news media tries to feed us. The truth will hurt about some things once the lies and manipulations are exposed but we'll be built up in wisdom. God wants us to walk in wisdom not in ignorance. Got it? Good.

Til Next Time, dgwo.

Reference:

Proverbs 25:2
Ecclesiastes 1:13