Pulling the Plug on Television

DURING THE RECENT RECESSION there has been a decrease in the number of american homes which have cable or satellite television. The percentage has gone from something like ninety seven percent to ninety five percent, so its not as is television is going out of business, but at least its a start.

In 1978 a fascinating book appeared entitled "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television", by sociologist Barry Mander. He had four very good arguments, at least one of which might be obsolete now.

The argument was that images generated with thousands of points of colored light, pixels, could not physically make a lasting impression on the human brain, and thus it was impossible to truly remember anything seen on television.

The author pointed out that merely because a given technology is available does not necessarily mean that it should be developed and used. No doubt about that. By the time you finish this book, you will see his point of view, and maybe even agree with it.

Gloriously, television can be eliminated from any given household anytime given resident wishes to, as americans have in the last couple of years, in order to save money. TV used to be free, now its expensive. Several months without it and you save hundreds of dollars, and have more time to read, spend with family and friends, actually doing things, and heavens knows what all else.

The programming on cable/satellite TV is beyond all comprehension and reason.. There must be many old americans who truly believe that television was better in the 1950s and 1960s when there were three channels. They have a point. who among us does not sit with remote control, endlessly clicking, always seeking, never happy. It isn't just for men.

It almost seems that there was a time when the violence shown on televsion had a reason, a point to it, other than just adrenaline. And of sourse the sexual overtones were subtle, and again, somehow, purposeful. Now we are saturated with shocking seduction, then turned into comsuming-working units.

If the american people would en masse would cancel their television and proclaim an intent to make it permanent, all hell would break loose, and good things would happen. For one, the cost of television would come down. Then, eventually, the average american seduction consumer experiences withdrawal, and hooks 'er back up.

Another possibility might be that the americdan people, newly awakened from their seductive trance, would look around, figure things out, and do something about it.

Bb
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