While on a recent survival trip, many, many hours were spent staring and tending our "Caveman TV", (FIRE). Which led me to ponder our modern campfire, which also sits at the center of most homes, consumes hours of our time & acts as a "gathering" place for our "tribe", the Television. The following are random thoughts on "America's Favorite Pastime".
"Are you watching the idiot box", "Turn off the boob tube",
I heard the above comments on a daily basis while growing up. Seems Mom was right, TV and Video games DO make us STUPIDER. They turn our brains to mush, encourage laziness and unhealthy habits; attack decent behavior; encourage sedentary living and flabby waistlines! When was the last time you learned something positive, hopeful, or even useful by watching TV or playing video games?
I heard the above comments on a daily basis while growing up. Seems Mom was right, TV and Video games DO make us STUPIDER. They turn our brains to mush, encourage laziness and unhealthy habits; attack decent behavior; encourage sedentary living and flabby waistlines! When was the last time you learned something positive, hopeful, or even useful by watching TV or playing video games?
My Top Ten List:
- We as humans think in images. When the predominant images are of violence, sex, moral ambiguity and stupidity... these are the images we think and in turn "act". "As a man thinketh, So he is!". Television rarely provides us with images of beauty, bravery, intelligence, moral fortitude or heroic effort.
- Watching TV results in sedentary activity, most Americans are sedentary enough! What people eat in front of TV is largely poison, making us increasingly fat & sick. The CDC reports 9 million kids ages 6-19 are over-weight or obese, and that 33% eat fast food daily.
- TV confuses fantasy with reality. Provides viewers with a media created image of reality other than real-life experience. Real thinking and learning requires Real-life experiences.
- TV is filled with images of gratuitous sex and frivolous acts of violence. Excuses poor behavior, caters to the lowest common denominator, especially on the part of men. Al Bundy seems to have become the poster boy for modern manhood!
- TV eliminates silence, silence is essential for personal growth and self analysis.
- TV consumes valuable time that can be better used for civic, family, spiritual and personal growth. According to The Office of National Statistics, families average 19 minutes together per day of time free from TV and other distractions!
- People believe, "if it's on TV it must be true. If not, it can't be true". As a survival instructor, I am regularly asked about the authenticity and accuracy of TV's popular "Survival" programs, (most of which are pure B.S.) Don't believe the hype!.
- "If you don't like it, turn it off." TV viewers find this difficult in real -life, especially when children are encouraged to watch TV while at school or in place of parental activities, ie. the "digital babysitter".
- The Surgeon General, National Institute of Mental Health, American Psychological Association, Congress, The National Research Council, Commission on Violence and Youth and many others, have all arrived at the same conclusion as mom: "Watching TV results in extensive, cumulative harmful behavior".
- Entertainment is escape, TV is nothing but entertainment. See #3 above.
Stay healthy, mind-body-spirit! -Z
