Well, I think it's both. But because it can be so hypnotic I would err on the life-drainer side…
I wonder how much TV you watch? One of the things that often amazes me is how much time TV watching takes up. And what I could be doing instead…
Even here on Salt Spring – with no TV channels - we easily fell into a habit of watching 2 or 3 episodes of The Good Life or Frasier of an evening. And then suddenly it would be bedtime. Whoops!
So, we're now paying attention again – and making sure TV (however selective) is not an unconscious habit. Sometimes we'll go in the hot-tub. Sometimes we'll read a book. I've just signed up for an evening writing class AND an exercise class. We could be going through all the ideas we have for our property, planning our vegetable plantings (well WE find that fun), or do some baking (yum!) or go to bed early and feel great the next day. Boring? Maybe – but it FEELS great!
In short, we could be planning or enjoying our lives (doing something ACTIVE) instead of sitting there being entertained (PASSIVE).
One truism that ALWAYS amazes me – is that we spend more time planning our holidays than planning our lives. And yet I'm sure we spend more time watching TV than planning our holidays.
Now, don't get me wrong. Some TV watching can be great – when we're too tired to do anything else, or really need some uplifting entertainment. These days I know we're often tired, stressed or overwhelmed (or all 3!). But don't let that deter you from prioritising YOU.
So many people have said, "I envy you.", "I wish we could do what you're doing." Well, it's taken many years of planning and gradual shifts. A lot of hard work. And it still is…
But add your TV watching up. And then ask yourself, "Is this what I want from my life?" To spend my time watching other people's lives? To be advertised at by big companies who want me to buy their stuff?
Or do you want to live YOUR life?
To all those workaholic clients of mine I always say, no-one looks back over their life and wishes they'd spent more time at work. And I bet no-one will say I wish I'd watched more TV…
Count me, like Jerry, as a “TV resistor.”
Years ago, we decided to cut back our TV, and decided we would watch nothing with violence in it. Boy, did that cut back our TV! We were not mindful of all the cop shows and even dramas that had violence as a central theme. This sends two messages: 1) violence is a way of life, and so we must bomb brown people far away to keep it from coming here, and 2) we must be very afraid, so that our “leaders” can shout “BOO!” and get our tacit approval to bomb brown people far away.
We finally got rid of the antenna, and only use it to play movies and videos.
I hope you’ll come over some Saturday for our public “movie night!”
I got rid of my TV a few years ago ………… admittedly I build a home cinema room with a projector.
Though only watching movies and documentaries on it as I’m conscious of wasting the bulb with adverts and mindless nonsense, let alone polluting my mind.