I just realized the reason why people (me included) watch television so much and for such long periods of time. It's because there is just something about sitting down and watching other people live their lives that hides us from our problems, and shields us from our responsibilities and basically puts a blanket over the eyes of our reality. I am not bashing on those that watch TV, or television itself. But when we sit down to watch our favorite television show, our minds wander and we put ourselves in their position and for a brief moment we are not ourselves, we are the carefully coordinated script and meticulously sculpted actor. We watch TV when we are "bored" or we go to see movies when we are on dates because it is something to do that distracts us from just sitting there and actually having to interact with others. It's an easy and inexpensive way to become someone else, if only in our mind's eye for a few minutes so that we don't have to be ourselves. And the more we watch, the more we want to watch. 10 minutes turns into 3 hours and then we want to do the exact same thing tomorrow. It's addicting.
Why is it that this happens? Why can't we just live our own lives instead of vicariously living through the pretend lives of actors? Let me know if you have any insights. :)
Peace out.
I love it candace :D
ReplyDeleteCandace you are so smart. I never thought about Television that way, I just thought it was entertainment. When I watch with my husband I can't talk because he might miss something on the TV, now I know why!! Thanks for the insight!!
ReplyDelete1. Maybe it's the inspiration that comes from tv... It makes me feel good knowing that i could grow up to be a suave handsome diognostician that eventually ends up with my attractive supervisor... Or maybe I could be the father of three who's father in law marries a culombian wife that is half his age and a gay brother who's husbands name is Cameron (10 pts if you can name the tv shows). This means that I have no set direction or solid foundation for the rest of my life I still have the hope to be anything that an actor can portray.
ReplyDelete2. Maybe it's the sedative effect you get from it. Those 10 minutes that turn into 3 hours is your body shutting down every process in your body that is not paying attention to the tv including the stress center of your brain so you don't have to actively think about those things. This "drug" is addictive yet short lived in that once you turn off that tv and the stressors come to realization you gain back all of that stress if not more cause you just wasted 3 hours on something more productive...
3. Maybe it's partially a need to be socially accepted. That "water cooler talk" is a large part of your life and media makes a large chunk of that talk. If we hear about a show that everyone loves, the odds are pretty good that we will check it out seeking for a bond that can be created between you and those people.
4. Heck, maybe sometimes it'd just boredom! Tv is reliable in that there is usually always something you can find whether it Is another show or reruns. Then the sedation sets in so not only can you pass time, you can do it relatively subconciously
5. Perhaps associative stress relief? There is nothing better than good comedy to relieve stress and not only is it easy to do but it's cheap!!!
6. All of the above? Maybe just growing up with it, it has been hard wired into our minds that it dies all of these things therefore creating utility which in the end makes the action good, making you want to do it more...
Good topic!!!
k, so my comment will not be long.
ReplyDeleteits because other people's lives rock my world candace. that's why i read your blog, cuz you rock my freaking world.
very well said Candace my good friend:)
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