From my own experience, I have learned that clearly we can learn to like things we don't at present like. The process might vary from person to person, but generally if you are exposed to something enough, whether you once hated it, you will grow used to it, and often grow not to mind it, and possibly even grow to like it.
People know this (at least in some areas) in relation to social media and being around certain people enough. You begin to grow like them. You begin to like the same things they like (yes, we may all protest that we don't, but consider it- if it's true, it's very important). Hence some people will say to beware what people you spend most of your time with (and even how you spend that time), and it is the basis for the extreme that some Christians fall into of avoiding 'polluting influences'; that even being exposed once to an 'evil thing' will contaminate you. I do not agree with this because there's no room for anyone figuring out what is bad- you just have to trust some other person and it doesn't even allow for learning wisdom and discernment; for growing.
I believe it is very important to expose ourselves to good things to shape goodness in ourselves, and to counter the influence of bad things all around. We will not even know all of the bad things that are barraging us, and for that reason it is even more important to edify ourselves with good things.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.- Philippians 4:8, KJV
Realise that if the Bible says this, it means it. Christians must consider why it would be so important to emphasise it as much as this.
Due to my kind of classical background, I have believed it to be important to expose myself more and more to the truly excellent things, like good music, good literature, well-thought-out ideas, just whatever I believe is truly edifying. It is also clearly good for me to do this. I really am whole-er, less dark and despairing, when I am seeing more of those good things. It's not that in my current state it makes some crazy difference; I merely find myself less hopeless than I thought possible. The beauty of a well-composed piece of Baroque music is a boon. Of course what is good has to be debated, but it really ought to be, rather than where we seem to be today, hardly discussing the hierarchy of badness and goodness.
One very interesting thing I often forget is how very, very important it is to make certain I do not fall into the trap of noticing all the things that are wrong in life. I have been, of course, concerned about what's happening these days, as anyone likely is, regardless of which position they take on The Issues. I have tended to focus on what's wrong, instead of 1. focusing on the good elements I can see present, and 2. focusing on the good that I still have a choice to apply in my life. In other words, I am not thinking of what I need, but rather what I imagine is harming me, or impeding me (o victim that I am!), which is the wrong way to go about getting what you need. I do know what I ought to be doing, so I ought to be doing it! And doing what ought to be done is the actual way God prescribes for us to fight the forces of darkness. Christians had better decide if they trust God on this.
Focus on the negative influences us. However, I never see how it does so until I am already fighting against it; saying no to the addictive desire to understand problems, looking instead for something good. If one focuses on the good, I posit one will be more able to see and understand problems, and therefore more able to act. Perhaps the addictive desire to see the negative side of things prevents one from changing it because we know if it's solved, we won't still have that 'scab to pick', so to speak. It certainly is the case in relationships that we refuse to allow people to say they're sorry so that we can still enjoy criticising and finding fault with them.
This reminds me of the what C. S. Lewis said- the better we become, the more we see our badness.
What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.- C. S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew (Whether you see it being related or not, I'm just leaving this here.)
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