Reading, Television, and More Meaningful Activities
As of late, I have strictly limited my television viewing to no more than a couple of shows per week, much better than previous times in my life. This has turned me onto another activity to fill the gap in my life–reading. I do not know if you all know what reading is, I know it has suffered a steady decline ever since the television came into fruition. Reading requires a longer attention span than television, as the plots are usually much more complex and the characters see some real development. It is an exercise in imagination. I remember what an avid reader I was in elementary school and into my middle school days, and then I just sort of tapered off. I started watching more and more television, mainly Comedy Central and the Fox network. I started shoving books to the side in favor of movies and television shows, and what happened was a stagnation, an atrophy of my imagination. It was like this for five, six years even, without me really noticing how much I lost in that timespan. Television almost became an addiction, but not to the extent that many others suffer with.
If you have ever watched television, and I believe many of you have, there really is not much on to really get interested in. A vast wasteland is what someone put it as. There may be a few shows, a few key shows that are truly interesting and thought-provoking, but otherwise, there is nothing of real substance, nothing really bound in reality, more of a fanstasmal way to live, if that is even a word. The “reality” shows that depict edited reality, which is so far away from reality that they should be called “fantasy shows.” And let us not forget the advertisements, which put most people in a state of desire, wanting all the new products that are advertised on the networks. Breeding a consumerist culture, allowing for mass destruction of our planet and many more. I am not saying that all television is evil, just that the majority of the broadcasts offer hardly anything of substance, are extremely biased, and I am sure you could find other more fulfilling activities to participate in than sitting passively, watching a screen simulate other people doing things you wish you could do.
After a long conversation with myself, I decided it was necessary to remove the television’s influence from my life, except for no more than five hours a week. There are certain shows I find original and creative, and are against the mainstream garbage I often see. Those are the shows I keep on my schedule. I have filled the time I cut out from not watching television with much more meaningful activities, such as reading, writing, and contemplating the meaning of my life and the meaning of all life in the universe. You do not see such activities on television. When you watch television, you surrender control to the network. Whatever is on there, you cannot control. It is almost like hypnosis. I used to feel that I wanted to turn the damn thing off, but I couldn’t. I spent many nights watching Law and Order marathons until I could barely keep my eyes open, wondering why I even cared about what happened to the characters. It wasn’t real. Why did I care?
Finally, I broke away from this sort of behavior, or lack of behavior and decided not to spend a good amount of my life in front of a piece of technology. Although I do use my computer quite a bit, it is more interactive and I am in the driver’s seat. I can choose what it is I want to do here. It is much more empowering than the television. Television is defining our culture through everything it conveys. And it isn’t really the television, but the advertisements and programs on the television. Those are the real culprits. Television can be used to enrich our lives or what it does now, turns us into passive zombies. And they are doing a good job. People are still watching. They want to see who gets kicked off the island on Survivor. They want to see the next episode of Desperate Housewives. And if that is entertaining to you, fine. But if you are only watching it to fill a void in your life, a void that could be filled with much more meaningful activities, then go for it. Do not surrender control of your life to a “box.” You’re worth more than that. You can do better. It is not easy to break the habit, but once you do, you will start finding better ways to occupy your time. Take up a hobby. Join a club. Exercise. There are so many positive things you can put in place of television. Take your pick.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Eventually man comes to the point where he asks: “What do I live for?” In other words, one does not find any pleasure in this life anymore, or he only sees very little. One starts asking about pleasure, as well as about the meaning of life. It is because the meaning of life is to feel that one’s egoistic desire is filled. However, if there is nothing to fill it with, then what does one live for?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:17 am
Consider that many of the most creative inventors, visionaries, explorers and achievers come from humble backgrounds which didn’t expose them to tv, radio and other technologies that may be considered “distractions.” For those humans raised from infancy to eat and interact mostly in front of technology (tv, computers, ect.), this may explain their adult inclinations. In terms of sensing a void, you first have to develop the ability to listen to yourself. Intuitive people don’t have to ask themselves, “what do I live for.” They evolve to listen to themselves and already know the answer.