A man named Joshua Becker writes a blog called "becoming minimalist." In a recent post he talks about TV, beginning with a quote from the actor David Niven: "Watching too much TV can triple our hunger for more possessions while reducing our personal contentment by about 5 percent for every hour a day we watch."
And Mr. Becker writes:
Television is a powerful medium to influence thought, behavior, and even society.
Television is carefully choreographed. Settings, dialogue, and movement are meticulously planned....
Television is a one-way conversation. No opportunity for viewers to push-back, debate, or ask questions.
Television engages viewers' minds and thoughts with action, sensory input, and emotion.
Television uses "Story" to teach values and information -- just like every good communicator (and civilization).
Television speaks to us in the privacy of our own homes. Our defenses are down.
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He says he asked his grandfather about wealth, poverty, and consumerism. His grandfather answered, "I think one of the greatest reasons America is more consumeristic today is television. Television can glamorize anything it wants to promote. ..."
And Mr. Becker points out, "Television can and does glamorize anything it desires. It gets to share any side of the story without needing to reveal any of the consequences....It can sensationalize war, crime, revenge. And it can promote wealth and consumerism as the answer to our problems."
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(The title of the post is "Television and the Glamorization of Anything It Desires")
Commenters typed in on that post -- some interesting perspectives, and angles, I thought. Lots of people out there getting rid of their TV altogether: even more, dropping their cable service.
some Comments:
-- Not owning a television has been one of the most stimulating choices of my life.
-- When our association cut cable as part of maintenance fee 8 years ago, we decided to go without television. ...No one has complained....I have enough ADHD without being force fed by the media.
-- Great reminders here. It's easy to get caught up in a popular TV series and forget that it's designed to seduce you while simultaneously making you crave things you don't have. (Perfect hair, perfect wardrobe, perfect house, etc.) I don't watch a ton of TV, but just enough to occasionally feel like I'm lacking in something. Thanks for bringing this up...
-- I haven't owned a t.v. for 4 years. When I happen to see a program now it seems so ridiculous, especially the commercials. I know there's good programming too, but most of it isn't worth it. It's causing damage sometimes too subtle to see....
-- I no longer watch TV but choose to watch lectures and inspiring messages on YouTube because I would rather fill my mind with something that is going to deepen my knowledge or inspire me.
-- We were burgled and the only thing stolen was our TV.
-- TV can be an educational tool. I regularly watch informative programs like Bill Moyers, Bill Maher, 60 Minutes, PBS ...and find it beneficial. Plus, TV can be an escape in a good way. I agree there is a lot of junk on TV especially programming that emphasizes you can be famous for being stupid.
-- I quit watching the major networks years ago. Now it is mostly news, documentaries and classic movies.
I remember how supposedly average people on the shows usually were beautiful, had nice clothes and always drove new cars. It's hard to measure up to that. We may think we are immune to those images, but they do have an effect.
-- Your grandfather is a wise man! When it comes to the influence of TV, we've tried to teach our kids to "talk back" to all media. In other words, when they realize something isn't true, to actually say, "That's not true." This habit has created some interesting conversations throughout the years.
-- Since joining the Minimalist movement, I have started turning off the tv and I am shocked to see how much I get done!...I still watch the news & PBS sometimes, but I am loving the new TIME I have gained!
-- The way that I see television is this: it's a mesmerizing portal in which we become sucked into, and it causes us to compare ourselves to the people we see on the screen & point out our own insecurities.
And we wonder why we always want more & more. We are desiring to fill the "gap" of the ultimate lifestyle, as portrayed on a majority of television channels.
-- Back then, TV's were something we constantly adjust. Now it's adjusting us.
-- This is not a post arguing against the use of the medium, it is simply a reminder of its power, influence, and motivation.
-- ...I'm not against it [TV], but I'm a careful viewer.
-- I remember when I was 12 years old (back in the late 60's) saying to my sibs that when I was an adult I would NOT allow my children to watch tv until they were 18. Somehow I knew even then what TV was trying to do.
-- Making the decision to turn off the television in our house has completely changed the way we live our lives. It was the gateway to much larger changes that have had a profound effect on the contentment and satisfaction we are now experiencing every day.
It was actually while watching a documentary on the Amish that was the tipping point. A little ironic....
-- There is no space for a TV so we don't have one. ...But sometimes I'll be in a store or restaurant where they are playing something and I look at the screen for a few minutes. Just those few minutes of TV watching cause me to feel desire for goods that I didn't even know existed. TV is extremely powerful and it should be watched carefully and in moderation.
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