The Peach speaks out against TV

I spent part of this weekend languishing on Mom and Dad's comfy leather couch, catching up on some shows that I have missed due to my typically harried school schedule. My life is so hectic right now that I don't watch TV due to sheer fatigue.....I end up nodding off or floating off mentally somewhere only to find myself, 20 minutes later, wondering why the main character is: kissing, shooting, yelling, storming off, laughing maniacally, etc. because I have missed all the 'important' stuff. But this weekend I thought I'd just veg, sleep, eat good food and try to recuperate after a very long hard week.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of watching some crime shows I used to love, such as Wire in the Blood and L & O: Criminal Intent, as well as a some new shows like Heroes, that I liked quite a bit. I should mention here that a few months ago I decided to swear off TV for awhile. I was heartily convicted about the content of most of these shows from a wonderful article I read on Boundless Webzine by Bethany Torode. I then read a great piece by Wheaton English professor Alan Jacobs (In on the Kill) that further explored the ways that TV networks, and all those working behind the screen, effectively choose for us how an issue is presented and what we will focus on when we tune it. TV is NOT democratic. This alone should make most of us pause before tuning into shows that clearly advocate and celebrate the worst parts of human nature.

Being in graduate school, I am well aware at this point in my life and academic career of the extremely persuasive nature of television. Some shows are obvious in what they establish as the premise of the show such as greed, seduction, rampant adultery, etc. What has always kept me from these shows is that they build upon a voyeurism that I think is unhealthy in every way. Not to mention that as a christian, I am directly instructed NOT to feast my eyes (hence my heart) on such things. So I have found over the last ten years that I spend very little time in front of the TV, which I have never considered a bad thing. It is true that I am not always aware of pop culture references and other such "infotainment" inanities, but I think I am better for it. If Albert Einstein refused to memorize telephone numbers because he did not want to use up grey matter on useless trivia, how much less would he want to know what "bling bling" means?

However, over the past two years, I admit that I have gotten sucked back into TV watching, especially into several crime shows that I watched, yes, "religiously". I was one of the first to get hooked on CSI but about two years ago, I started to get put off by the violence, humorlessness, and disgusting close ups of body parts so much so that I thought, enough is enough. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a book by David Burke, Get a Life! The Little Red Book of the White Dot which challenged me to reduce the amount of time I spend watching complete strangers have fake lives. I put the TV in the closet and started listening to all those CDs I own that rarely get listened to due to the TV. I found that I was calmer, slept better, was more optimistic and less harried without TV. I had time to start writing a novel as well as do all my grad school work. I also found that a lot of times I craved human contact, not more TV, when I was tired. I also found that I did not walk around wondering if total strangers were psychotic ax murders, etc. TV preys upon our minds that way and it is no wonder that so many Americans are on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication. A few of weeks watching the gazillions of crime shows out there would worry anybody. And if you think that I am wrong, whip out your TV Digest and count how many nights of the week have programming aimed just at serial killers, etc. There are entire stations devoted just to crime shows.

Unfortunately, TV has crept back in to the point that as my fatigue level grew, I started watching again. But after this weekend's binge, I decided that I was not going back to the TV as a way to wind down. It has been pointed out to me that recreation is literally supposed to be RE-creation. But watching TV makes that impossible. From a christian point of view it also makes it extremely difficult to maintain a pure mind, or even a sound mind. How can you have a sound mind if you take in complete lies each and every day? Just a thought.

So from now on, I'll read a book, listen to music, call a friend, visit family or find some other way to recreate, because life is way to short to spend it in front of a piece of furniture!