Turning Off the Television

We unplugged our television from cable/network/satellite five years ago. We only watch selected movies on it that we rent at the local video store, and if the movie selection gets any worse, we'll probably stop that too.

I personally don't miss television at all. I now find it intrusive and offensive. I'm of the "vid kid generation" born and grew up in the fifties. I was too young to know what television was originally developed for, but as programing developed, I developed with it. I can unequivocally say its not the television I grew up with any longer.

People don't share my concern for what mass media, specifically television has turned into. Most people I talk to say they don't "watch" but just leave it on as "background noise." Ok, here's the first revelation, its ALL background noise and that's where they've hidden the "hook."

For over twenty five years now I have read articles saying there is a talent drain happening in Hollywood in both movies and t.v. Actors, writers, directors, studio management in general. I can't argue with that. The creative, theatrical, conceptual side of television is long gone. Once the power of direct advertising was realized and sophisticatedly advanced, programing would never be the same.

Then politics entered into it, again no problem until the famed Kennedy/Nixon debates. The power of electing a president was now ordained to the television. So far we have a corruption factor from Advertising and Politics, the third and final piece of the trifecta was technology.
Technology changed the way we watch and digest the images, sounds and words on t.v.

No longer an extension of theater and vaudeville stages, no longer programing aimed at higher values, no longer endorsement integrated into the program's format.
The shows were dissected into commercial segments, commercials became the entertainment. Ninety minute shows went to an hour, with fifteen minutes of commercials. Then hour shows went to half hour shows with 12 minutes of commercials. It ceased being about the shows before it got started.

This dissertation could go on and on, but there are more important aspects. "Fast cut" editing came into practice, you used to view a scene or shot for a minute or more before point of focus would switch. Today you barely see an image in a commercial for more than 2 seconds, sometimes faster. Technology created a way to speed up voice/sound, compress it time wise and not alter the pitch of voices. Verbal pitches became faster, time dense.
I noticed since about the year 2000 many movies, t.v. shows, and commercials use strobe flashes between scene changes. Some are very noticeable, others barely noticeable. There are low frequency sound waves being used, like those produced by sub-woofers, that affect mental function.
Do the research, I'm not making any of this up.

What is the point of pointlessly staring at a tube of sound and flashing scenes if none of it is registering?
We never turned on the t.v. as background noise. Today we find it intrusive. Besides, most flat screen t.v's today use over 300watts of electricity an hour, who can afford that tagged onto their utility bill? Energy Star Efficient my rabbit ears. Put the evil thing on a power strip and cut the power to its computer to save energy at least.
Here is what I've noticed, learned, GAINED. My focus is much stronger, no more premature senility/delayed ADD. My thoughts are clearer, no static, my critically thinking is engaged. I ask myself more questions, I don't sit in a room and drool at nothing but flashing colors.

I take time to compare experiences of quality. I clearly see the difference. No more "too much t.v. hangovers." Instead of watching nothing on television, I read, create something, catch up on chores, spend more time with my family DOING something. Heck I'm even writing blogs now.

I saved a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip that I believed said it all, the opening frame showed a picture of a television and its word balloon stated, "Marx hadn't seen anything yet." Which would mean, to paraphrase a quote, "T.V. is the opiate of the masses." Greater than organized religion, greater than communism, greater than well, opium.
Its geared for the lowest common denominator. Its presentations don't want you to think, at all. It uses technology in ways you wouldn't normally agree to. Every once in a great while it drops a small carrot. I know I used to watch t.v.

I got interested in the computer and Internet access because I could control the content I surfed to, I could read information I wanted without sound and animation. There were very few advertisements in the early days. Now its hard to tell t.v. and the Internet apart.

Cave man created the wheel. Modern man created T.V. Techno-man created the Internet, I shudder to think what's coming next.