The TV tells lies.
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| think about what you watch... |
We've recently gotten a basic cable package for free with our internet and phone provider - this is new for our family. I've always tried to teach my son that the TV is at best a marketing toy - it's designed to make you want to buy things and make you feel less of a person if you don't. We've pretty much talked a lot about it. But I was surprised when he came upstairs and announced to our entire company (we host a small group at our place) in a very loud voice, 'The TV lies!' It was a proud day for me.
Of course he was suggesting that a specific commercial just simply wasn't true but the entire statement is a good one when we are talking about identifying ways in which we 'buy in' to a dominate culture group.
Have you ever tried to shut off the media/TV/internet for a season? A day? A week? What happens to your life?? It's an experiment that has been sorely lacking in anyone giving it a go?
The television is case in point - it constantly speaks a world dominate massage with vivid colour and life-like precision. I think it was in the book A Brave New World that Aldous Huxley painted this picture of the future where books weren't banned they just were no longer needed - people used to sit in front of this 'mood box' for a few hours every night to feel better. At the time it was science fiction - hmmmm. I wonder how much exciting community involvement and betterment could be done in the amount of time we give to our endless entertainment through sitting around watching a little box that tells us lies.
If you can't shut off you TV at least listen to the lies and begin to identify them as such. My son is ahead of us on this. Say it out loud - proclaim it to the heaven lies. Let the whole world know that if you are going to watch TV - it will LIE TO YOU and it will lie to you blatantly and without apology. Who knows - maybe a no TV revolution is in our future?