The Mind Virus....

I read a letter recently by Dr. Robert Anthony which spoke about The Mind Virus -- The Negative influence of the media. He goes on to explain his solution to the issue or ways to prevent being infected by the mind virus. I found a few take aways but also found some part which I believe is a negative approach which is a contradiction in itself to what the author states. The letter is as follows --






" I understand what I am about to say may sound crazy to you, but allow me to suggest the possibility that you have been totally brainwashed and you have unknowingly become your own worst enemy.

In fact, this is exactly what is happening to millions of people. And most likely, you are one of them. 

What I am talking about is the SUBLIMINAL and SUBCONSCIOUS programming you are getting; Programming that is imprinted on your subconscious without your knowledge.

I am not saying there is an organized conspiracy to program your mind. The people who are spreading these negative messages don't even know they are doing it!

The problem is as you are exposed to these mind viruses, you are likely to be infected. Just as exposure to raw sewage can cause you to be infected with germs, microbes and other nasty things, prolonged exposure to the media will infect your mind with many nasty viruses. Society spends billions of dollars to protect us from biological and computer viruses. Yet a mind virus can be the most dangerous of all.

One of the best things you can do to prevent mind viruses is stop following the news. Don't watch TV, don't listen to "talk" radio, don't read newspapers or magazines that have the news in them.

Why? Because they all make their money by selling fear, lack, scarcity and limitation. Bad news is what sells.

Open the average newspaper and you will see that 90% or more of what you read is negative news.

The percentage is about the same for radio and TV. Do you really believe it is important to find out how many houses burnt down, how many people were robbed or killed in your city, state or another country? Do you really need to be reminded of the economic situation every day? Being exposed to all this negativity creates a negative view of the world and negative thought patterns in your mind.

When I tell people to skip the news, they invariably ask, "How will I know if there is a major world tragedy or natural disaster heading my way or terrorists striking near me?" Trust me. You will know about all the big stuff you need to know. Let's face it, the vast majority of your friends and neighbors follow the news so they can do the watching and reading for you. You still won't be able to escape it completely because most restaurants and shops now have the TV news on all day long. So if something major happens, you will know about it. 

I haven't watched the news for the past ten years. I don't read the newspaper either because I don't want or need to know about all the bad stuff. My life is about creating good stuff. Eliminate the news media from your life for the next 30 days and see what I mean.

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation that you are making progress –

IF YOU LOOK FOR IT! No matter how large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal – personal diary.

It will only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success ! 


Dr. Robert Anthony "

While I do agree with the letter to a certain extent I somewhere believe what Dr. Anthony has said is in turn damaging us and the nation. It is indeed a true fact that most of the news now a days is covered with negatives but that does not mean that the mind virus which is spread through it can be defeated by turning a blind eye to the news. The author goes on to say that let others inform us about the bad news coming our way so in turn it seems a pretty self centered act which the author is asking us to execute. It is a fact that we go on to become our own enemies but then the solution can't be in refusing exposure to the news. Even doctors I suppose would agree on the fact that it is much better to strengthen one's immune system rather than building some form of an external wall against ailments. Even the sacred textures ask us to perfect our inner self to face challenges. Problems are like those stray dogs. The more you run away from them the faster they keep coming at you while just turning back and facing them will make them slink away into oblivion! If the mind virus is to be defeated it has to be done by countering it and not running away from it. I will ask, instead of shutting the doors to the world around (the news) why not open the doors wide and let all come in. What has to be retained and what has to be rejected ultimately is in the hands of the self. This discretion is very important and that is what characterizes the human race. The power of discretion is to be employed and we have to decide what is to be gained from each and every word of a news report. In the highly improbable scenario that some person stays safe from this virus for his/her entire lifetime by running away from it, it does not guarantee that the virus is defeated. This virus will find someone else to infect thus continuing its work. What really is the need of the hour is to eliminate the virus which can be done by those who are strong to not let it affect their own being.

Fear has to be fought hard if it has to be defeated in the long run. It is much easier to block everything but quite difficult to weave through the maze of life ducking troubles at times while facing them head on most of the times! The latter approach is what defines the life of the individual and decides whether he/she will live free or not! Using the same analogy of the raw sewage by Dr. Anthony, I will ask why can't we go on to clean the sewage and exterminate all the possible threat rather that cower away from it? Somebody has to do the clean up job so why can't it be me and you? Why does each of us run away from this mind virus and not tackle it? To give another example, rejecting intoxicating alcohol and tobacco is very easy if one is not exposed to it at all but is extremely difficult if that very person is in close proximity to people who regularly engage themselves in these acts. The good stuff is always hidden in the bad stuff is what nature teaches us. The sweet taste of a jack fruit can only be enjoyed after going through the external roughness. Rejecting the jack fruit totally because of its external roughness is the perfect act of losers!

It is indeed wise to protect oneself from a virus of any kind but I ask why not go after it and finish it off if that can be done? Interpreting this as a mission to finish off the media would be way off the handle, my friends. I mean we can defeat the virus by relaying good news when heard for a start. This can be followed up by not discussing the negative news and not encouraging them in our respective circles. Just by shutting oneself away won't cut down the demand and reach of the mind virus but it will surely be if productive positives are spread to counter its deadly attack. Even if 90% of the news is negative, it is imperative that the remaining 10% be absorbed and assimilated as this 10% is the part which will raise the spirit and give the individual the strength to fight. So, unlike Dr. Anthony, I feel we all should absorb all that is thrown at us and build on the 10% instead of rejecting all !!

Jai Hind!