The Great Temptation

Today's sermon at my church gave me a chance to further ponder something that has been plaguing my mind for some time. The topic was temptation, and it is something we all face everyday. Then, later today I got a phone call from someone whose conversation solidified my frustration with this struggle... I grew to feel sad and concerned. I know that temptation is something that has absorbed my character and taken me under at times, so I feel able to make some type of opinion on it...
In today's society we are told on a daily basis what is "normal." We are bombarded with images that captivate our senses, making it almost unbearble to fight the things that we have learned in church and from our families to resist. My question is, when did things such as pornography, weight/food obsession, substance abuse and general social immorality become "normal?" Further, who decided that these things are" normal" for our lives and should be accepted. We have become a society based on the idea of instant gratification, a mindset I have personally owned at times. We only care about what feels good in the moment, not caring or having the integrity to take responsibility for the truth we know from our faith and beliefs. We have become so disillusioned as a nation and are sadly showing no signs of stopping.
I feel that considering our potential and consequential downward spiral as a tempted society, this is not something we should or can accept. We all know where we are weak to our sinful desires, and instead of embracing them as something that "everyone does" we should take responsiblity for our lives authenticity. No longer do we need to live in the ignorance of our temptation, as it is our job to redefine "normal" for the better of those whose lives we can and do affect. For I can only hope, and refuse to believe, that my struggles have been in vain...