Since the time of its invention in the 1940's the television has steadily grown in popularity to the point of being a mainstay of the american home. This increase in usage is a testament to the television's value as a medium of entertainment, as well as a reason for the effectiveness of televised advertising. Bigger and better televisions are always on people's minds; My family owns a 42 inch flat-screen, though we rarely watch more than 2-3 hours of TV a week. I rarely find myself compelled to sit down and endlessly channel surf; I only have but six channels and I would hate to follow in my father's tired footsteps. Television is great for those who are tired of the joys that life has to give, tired of putting forth the effort needed to unlock these riches: the elderly and disillusioned. I appreciate the mediums of film and television, there are some truly interesting and meaningful things out there, but the investment of time needed to obtain anything of value is too steep. With so many other things to go out and explore, investing an hour into passive learning is something I cannot bring myself to do.
When my faculties for obtaining knowledge have reached an all time low, I often fall back on re-runs of MASH to revive my faith in the human spirit. Outside of this pick me up, some might say guilty pleasure, I rarely find myself glued to the tube like so many helpless Americans. I believe that the masses have grown too despondent for their own good, their only concern being the basest human pleasures. To avoid a near Huxleyian society I believe it is imperative to wean the common man from his sedentary lifeline, to light anew the flame of passion and knowledge in the people. A return to the earth and the written word, nights spent gathered as a family around the radio, absorbing AM like the nectar of the gods.
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