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ARP 023 - #NO FILTER
128 Plays3 years ago
In this episode, I am my recorded meditation when I was the Youth Speaker for Real Quick Talk - a Youth-lead online group that does daily devotional sessions with our church youth.
Here, I talk about "Filter" - what it is, why people (especially youth) use it, and the danger of excessively using filters. I've also talked about how God sees us with no filter.
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Transcript
Introduction to Photo Editing and Self-Image
00:00:00
Speaker
How are we going to be happy with what we look in real life if we are constantly editing every photo of ourselves to make us more satisfied with how others see us online?
Supporting Parents in Modern Challenges
00:00:16
Speaker
Thank you for listening above Ruby's podcast, created by a mom for every mom and parents for that matter, embracing parenthood and sanity. Here to help you get by through weekly discussions and parenting, relationships, home and faith as you juggle daily in life.
Debate: Are Digital Filters Beneficial?
00:00:44
Speaker
Okay, going back to our theme, which is no filter, very familiar topic for everyone, especially for the youth. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it harmful? Is it dangerous? And do we need to filter our photos, our lives, our personalities? Do we need to do that? These are the things that we will learn tonight.
How Photo Filters Work
00:01:09
Speaker
Okay, so this is not the kind of filter we are going to talk about tonight.
00:01:25
Speaker
We are talking about this kind of filter. Filter, picture.
00:01:45
Speaker
You can be enhanced like this with the use of a filter, Photoshop, and other photo editing applications. Or you can be this kind of filter.
00:02:01
Speaker
What does filter in a photo mean?
Mental Health Impacts of Selfie Filters
00:02:05
Speaker
But technically speaking or according to Google, a filter in a photo is a software routine that changes the appearance of an image or part of an image by altering the shades
00:02:18
Speaker
the colors of the pixels in some manner. Filters are used to increase brightness and contrast, as well as to add a wide variety of textures, tones, and special effects to a picture. So, Meron professional way of filtering a photo...
00:02:42
Speaker
It is to enhance a photo, especially when you have a camera, you have to filter to enhance your picture. Now, the question is, is using a filter on selfies impacting our mental health?
Unrealistic Beauty Standards in Media
00:03:09
Speaker
I don't think you should give such a big deal on filters. Why are we talking about this? Okay.
00:03:21
Speaker
Nowadays, it became very common knowledge that celebrities in magazines and ad campaigns were digitally modified so that they appeared to have no imperfections, blemishes, cellulites, lumps or bumps, regardless of their shape or size, just perfectly edited.
00:03:52
Speaker
We know they are all filtered.
00:03:56
Speaker
They look perfect. They look perfect. They look perfect. They look perfect. They look perfect. They look perfect.
00:04:28
Speaker
especially some Victoria's Secret models. I used to watch Victoria's Secret models before.
00:04:36
Speaker
So, in E-BANG magazine, there are many models of E-BANG. There are many edit-out models of E-BANG, but E-BANG is the perfect body now. Okay, so yeah, that's what society is. That's what we are being taught outside.
Self-Modification Apps and Mental Health
00:05:01
Speaker
And you, all of us, knowing that we don't have that, we are like trying to be like them because that is what society's standard is. Nowadays, we can easily digitally modify ourselves without having any technology or forking out a fancy photo editing suite.
00:05:24
Speaker
That's thanks to Snapchat and Instagram and other applications. And again, I'm not saying everything is bad and not saying everything is good. This is why we do things in moderation.
00:05:42
Speaker
Yeah, so excessive use of filters could have an effect on our mental health.
00:05:57
Speaker
filters pictures. How are we going to be happy with what we look in real life if we are constantly editing every photo of ourselves to make us more satisfied with how others see us online?
00:06:19
Speaker
It's a Facebook. You are trying to teach yourself, your mind. Now that is what beauty is. That is what is acceptable in the sight of people or in the sight of the other person on the other side of the screen. A big concern with this addiction, this addiction of using way too much filter is
00:06:45
Speaker
and editing of photos are negative effect they could have on our mental health. So, possibly, it's an effect on our mental health, not in the excessive use of our filters, especially on the younger generation. The most popular Snapchat filters literally distort your face. They make it slimmer. I don't know if you can imagine. I don't know if you can imagine.
00:07:34
Speaker
Again, this is not me saying it. This is a research that is done and it's written at exerciseright.com.au.
00:07:38
Speaker
Then even out the
Societal Pressure and Beauty Perception
00:07:41
Speaker
skin tone, even change our skin color.
00:07:41
Speaker
So excessive use of filters can have a negative effect on our mental health. It makes us
00:07:48
Speaker
set a different kind of standard, a standard that is not real, a standard that is untrue. Okay, so there is a study being conducted to screen for depression and mental illness by analyzing use of Instagram filters indicating how we manipulate our photos, says a lot of our state of mental health. So, because we are depressed, we have to investigate and check our doctors' unclassing posts.
00:08:27
Speaker
So to answer the question, is using filter on our selfies impacting our mental health? The answer is yes, depending on how excessive you are using your filters.
00:08:44
Speaker
Okay. Can you still remember? Or Hindi? If Hindi would try doing that after today's fellowship, that's who we are. That's the reality. That's unfiltered, no? Hashtag no filter.
00:09:07
Speaker
We are being brainwashed by media. We are being brainwashed online. I'm not like that, so I'm just gonna use filter.
00:09:27
Speaker
Okay, I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don't know what the standards are, but I don
00:09:56
Speaker
Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.
00:10:20
Speaker
Fats, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.
00:10:44
Speaker
And then, of course, it's not true. I mean, young acne is a different kind of skin condition that is sometimes not healed right away. You have to test different kinds of products. And that's not bad. That's not bad at all.
00:11:11
Speaker
But because the Philippine standard of beauty is telling us that, then you try to filter your face.
Inspirational Resources on Social Media
00:11:22
Speaker
We have become so focused on our outward appearance because that's what society is teaching us to do.
00:11:33
Speaker
For your daily dose of inspirational proverbs, visit us on Facebook and Instagram. Simply search above Ruby's blog. Want to know more about podcasting and connect with podcast virtual assistants?
Embracing Unique Identity
00:11:45
Speaker
Join us in our exclusive Facebook group. Simply search PodcastBAsPhilippines.
00:11:51
Speaker
Now we have to undo that mindset. We have to refocus our minds. We have to learn to be able to embrace our identity of who we are and how we are created. I will praise you.
00:12:08
Speaker
I fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous. I know it all too well. I know it like the back of my hand.
00:12:28
Speaker
my frame was not hidden from you when i was made in secret we were made in secret when we were still in the womb okay fearful in this context does not mean
00:12:53
Speaker
No, that's not what it means. Asabi, I, fearful in this context, it does not literally mean to be scared or afraid. In the Hebrew translation, it means great reverence
00:13:05
Speaker
heartfelt interest and with respect. That's what it means when we say fearfully and
00:13:23
Speaker
Wonderfully, when translated from Hebrew, means unique or set apart. Remember during all the biblical times, young wine
00:13:44
Speaker
They prepare the best for last. You are set apart for God's work. We are created to be Christ's image bearer and to live a fulfilled life without rivals for an amazing and unique purpose. That's what we are. That's who we are. So there's no reason
00:14:06
Speaker
What is significant, special, important? We are loved, we are cherished, and we are treasured.
00:14:24
Speaker
So Sabisa verse 13, you formed my inward parts. You covered me in my mother's womb. You created that something called amniotic sac.
00:14:59
Speaker
That he watches every development of our lives, even before we were completely formed.
00:15:13
Speaker
God is already watching us, how we are formed, how we are developed.
Authenticity vs. Societal Expectations
00:15:18
Speaker
We are handcrafted and I want to show this, should explain further what that verse means. We are valued by God. Amen.
00:15:29
Speaker
So why are we trying to question that? Why are we questioning our capability, our being, how we look like? Again, that is because of how the standard is teaching us. It's brainwashing. The society is telling us, we are not beautiful. We are not handsome enough. We are not good enough. Pero sabes abiblia, we are carefully handcrafted.
00:15:59
Speaker
Each by God, every piece of our being. That's how special we are to our Heavenly Father.
00:16:06
Speaker
So God knows everything about us. He sees us with no filter. So let's not question ourselves. This is a different kind of filter. So we have two different kinds of filter here right now that we are talking about. Isiah is your filter and again again with not in social media or whatever we do to enhance a photo. And then there's another filter, God to man naman.
00:16:40
Speaker
He sees us straight to the heart. So we cannot hide from the Lord. So we might be like hiding a motive here somewhere. We are trying to be kind. We're trying to look good.
00:17:06
Speaker
But you cannot hide that
Self-Worth and Divine Design
00:17:08
Speaker
from God. You cannot hide the reality from the Lord.
00:17:12
Speaker
We can pretend our service and worship whenever we want and possibly make other people believe that we are really doing it wholeheartedly, but God knows our real motive. If you feel that you are of no value, look around you. Look around us.
00:17:41
Speaker
We are questioning ourselves. Am I good enough? Am I capable enough? I influential enough? Am I doing good enough? And look around us when we're questioning ourselves. What we feed our mind is what we are going to become.
00:18:07
Speaker
You will never be good enough. You will never be valuable enough in the sight of someone.
00:18:21
Speaker
that's what you are going to become because see that's what you're feeding your mind here and it's going to manifest in your inner being because see what our mind thinks the body follows a very old saying watch your thoughts because they become words watch your words they become actions watch your actions they become your destiny and it becomes your character so what
00:18:45
Speaker
starts in your mind, becomes who you are. We are fearfully and wonderfully, we are special. God is watching over us from the very moment that we were conceived in our mother's womb. We are special. Unless you are really not doing enough.
00:19:10
Speaker
No? That's the only time that you would question it. If you are doing it half-heartedly, then there is a reason why you are questioning yourself.
Reconnecting with Self and Faith
00:19:23
Speaker
But if you are doing everything, you are doing your best, then you are doing your best for the Lord.
00:19:30
Speaker
There's no reason for you to question what you are doing. With the right motive and with the right mindset. I am fixing the not so lovely details is easy to do with an application. But it's a little harder in this broken world. Deep down, we should be more focused on what we are feeding our minds.
00:19:59
Speaker
When we quiet the noise of social media, do you do social media break, like the turn of social media? I need to reset. We need that. And if we quiet the noise of social media and get along with the Lord, that's when we are reminded.
00:20:33
Speaker
What is in our hearts? What is our real motive? What's the real score? That is what God sees directly and that's what matters the most. We are lovely even without filter and we have a God who looks straight into our hearts without any filter.
Community Engagement and Newsletter
00:20:58
Speaker
We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God and we don't need anything to enhance that.
00:21:25
Speaker
Hope you enjoyed today's episode. Sign up to my newsletter so you're notified of my next podcast at www.abovepreciousroobies.com or follow me via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Podcasts, and other podcast streaming platforms. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, email me at n-i-l-y-n at abovepreciousroobies.com. I look forward to talking to you.