I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, and again, and again… A major factor in encouraging the apathy in American Politics, Religion, Environmental, and Social arenas, is the television. A major factor in the decline of family interaction, community involvement, and bonding of friendships, is the television. A major factor in the acceleration of America’s debt problem, economic hardship, and consummate consumption… is the television.
It is not the television itself, but some (or most) of the programs that broadcasts into our homes through this device. It is not the television itself that leads to apathetic lifestyles but the addiction to the ritualistic watching of programs by our population. It is not the television itself that leads to the over consumption that drives competition with the Jones’, but the advertisements and lifestyles of those that we watch and emulate.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no Jonathan Green, I watch television now and then, (though for 3 years during Graduate School my television was neatly tucked away in my closet… mainly so I could tell people years later this very fact.) But seriously… I laugh when Michael Scott embarrasses himself, I tense up when a giant black cloud engulfs those bad men on that one island that everyone is lost on, and I cry when Ty introduces a family to their new home… but it is not something that is a regular part of my day, it is not something I schedule my life around nor do I set my DVR more religiously than my alarm clock. I bring this up because I am frustrated… I’m disappointed at the crass jokes and sex driven themes in many of the programs, I’m distracted by the rampant consumerism forced upon us in the endless minutes of advertisements, I’m irritated that roommates would rather come home and turn on the television than show any semblance of interest in each others day.
This addiction to television is a contributing factor to the demoralizing apathy found in many American’s. Seen in the child who watches, on average, 4.5 hours of television a day; the adult who diligently watches a show each evening of the week, with football on Saturday and Sunday. The ability of children to identify over 500 logo’s but have trouble learning the history our great nation. The capacity of many who can recount the latest Lost episode (in relation to the previous 3 seasons), the tangled web of relationships in Grey’s Anatomy, or the latest sex-capade on The Bachelor… but who are ignorant to the issues facing the world today (Aids Epidemic, Global Hunger, Environmental Issues, War on Terror, Oil Dependency, et cetera). It is endemic to our native land, and if we aren’t careful, it will become an epidemic on foreign soil. The U.S. is already seen as a gluttonous hog in the farrowing house, and many will continue to be raised in jealous admiration of our lifestyles… or rather the lifestyles portrayed on television.
Unfortunately the shows we watch are also being zipped across the globe via satellite and broadband Internet to those with little direct knowledge of our lifestyle. The image being portrayed in commercials and sitcoms are stereotypes upon which the outside world sees as a reality. And in this misunderstanding they begin to compare their lives to ours, which fuels envy, hate and judgment. The ironic thing is that we also compare and envy, judge and hate. The same motivations drive us all into delusional lives where hopes and dreams for our community, morph into hopes and dreams for our own self. Individualistic attitudes, getting what I deserve, working for my benefit; instead of the community rule of working for the benefit of others, getting them what they deserve, and magnanimous attitudes upholding the rights of others. The scare of an epidemic is real, but the vaccine is simple… though complicated to propagate.
It starts with you, in your home, and in your mind. If many would just unplug from entertainment for a second and delve into some of the issues of the day they would see the solutions are staring them in their faces. We have the technology to reduce the impact of humans on this earth by 90%. We have the money to feed the starving, give water to the thirsty, and give basic health care to millions. We have the influence in America to take a stand and change the direction of the world! But many of us don’t realize this… and sit staring at somebody else’s life (fictional or not), envying their success, wishing our life was like theirs, but yet doing nothing to change our own situation… there is a remedy, it is within grasp and accessible with your thumb.
Unfortunately, television is the numbing agent to the suicide machine we are living in; so keep flipping those channels and find something good, because you deserve great programming as the soundtrack to our demise.
10 comments ↓
Yowzer. What a challenge! Good stuff, Sam. Even as a TV fan, I agree. I admit I probably watch far more television than I should, but usually excuse it by turning up my nose because I only watch *good* TV (whatever that means). One of my main beefs with TV addiction is that it’s entertainment addiction. We must be CONSTANTLY entertained in this society. Gross. Instead of just being entertained, let’s be challenged or educated. Of course it’s OK to have fun and unwind with a little mindless TV now and then, but it is a shame that it’s such an integral part of our daily routines.
I couldn’t agree with you more! Kinda like facebook too huh Sam? Ha ha I kid, sortof.
yes, daily, kinda like facebook…
and miss lane,
in pointing out our extreme addictions i never want to sound like the answer is throwing the baby out with the bathwater… it is a delicate dance to live a life of balance, and in that dance there are many movements, the key is to discern when your movements are leading to imbalance, and act accordingly.
Oh so true. I love TV, and I know it’s a huge waste of time at it’s best.
And video games! Don’t forget video games! And the Internets too!
Television is more a symptom of our issues, not the cause. I’d posit poor education is a greater culprit.
yeah… jason, i would agree… television doesn’t cause ignorance, people cause ignorance… or something like that.
Ah… the life long debate continues. Allow me to further complicate the issue by disagreeing with the statement that the TV itself is not a part of the problem. I think there is more to just the messages the TV is sending, but paerhaps we should concider the medium itself as playing a more active role in “the decline of family interaction, community involvement, and bonding of friendships”. I do enjoy the TV (among other forms of entertainment) but I think I will always prefer human interaction to TV programing. Check out, a teaching by Shane Hipps called “The Spirituality of the Cell Phone” Sam, you may enjoy it. http://marshill.org/teaching/index.php
[...] Another article of mine was published on JM click link below to read (it is also found on my blog, entitled television): [...]
This is such a noteworthy issue. Teaching 8th grade has opened my eyes to how distressing this problem really is. For a lot of my students, if they aren’t entertained in the way they want to be entertained, they mentally turn me off. And since there’s no grammar version of Guitar Hero, I think some hit mute on the way in.
I’m not saying that I’d expect 13 year olds to be as passionate about life as I am, but I’m sure the whole need-to-be-entertained problem is only going to get worse.
My hypothesis is that leisure leads to idleness, which leads to laziness, which brings about all sorts of messed up priorities. We’ve got it so easy here in America that there’s no necessity to become educated, only to get through school (”C’s get degrees”), no need to work hard, no need to interact directly with people (we have the internet for our social desires)! Basically, there’s no need to exert oneself fully into an endeavor, just merely going through the motions will do.
As an educator, I just wish that people would be encouraged to think every now and then, about real things. I got a parent letter this week raging that I have the audacity to require my students to think critically. After I laughed for a few seconds, I really wanted to cry, because to some people it is apparently a bad thing to think critically! Wow!
What you talked about really scares me for the coming generations (I guess mine too!).
Devices such as DVRs/Tivo have actually given me more freedom. If there’s a show I want to watch (and I don’t get sucked into TV shows that much…they never end! Seriously…how long can people be Lost on an island and stay well groomed?) I just set the DVR and watch it when I get a chance. Usually late at night after Jen & the kids have gone to bed.
So, some technology frees us up. But you’re right, Sam. We can’t become a slave to technology. It is meant to improve our lives and educate us (Instead of American Idol, switch over the the Discovery Channel and learn something.)
Throwing out the TV isn’t the answer. But, becoming responsible and having self control will be a significant improvement.
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