turn off your tv – you are being remotely controlled

August 8, 2010 by ksolo
Filed under dinner and a movie

News flash. Your TV is a remote control device. The irony of that statement struck me the first time I watched Putney Swope – you know, that movie I told you about last week?

While we sit in our homes using that little handheld clicker to control the television, advertisers in far away places are sitting around their boardrooms making decisions that they hope will allow them to influence and control our thought patterns, emotional responses, behaviors and actions.

Of course, this isn’t really a newsflash at all, is it? We know that advertisements and all sorts of subliminal messages are being streamed over the tube for the sole purpose of influencing us to buy something that’s for sale. But does that render us completely helpless? Is there no way for us to regain control of our TVs or our minds?

I suppose you could eliminate TV from your life altogether. Several of my friends don’t own a TV or watch one regularly. But for many, total TV elimination is impractical. And despite all of the crazy stuff happening on TV these days, it’s still a primary source for news, local information, and quality educational content.

So if we can’t get rid of our TVs, how can we at least be more mindful of how, when, and where we watch in order to limit television’s influence over our thoughts and behavior? I started thinking about it and jotting down some ideas, and before I knew it, I had a pretty decent list of tips for more responsible TV viewing. Instead of bombarding you with them all in one huge post, I thought I’d spread them out over a series of posts entitled “How to Watch Television”. It’s not like you have time to read them in one sitting anyway, right? Your favorite TV show is about to come on. .

Here’s my first tip for making sure you don’t over-feed the idiot box.

How to Watch Television – Tip #1

Don’t watch TV immediately upon waking or just before going to bed.

These are times when the mind is at its most impressionable state. The line between the subconscious and conscious is blurred during sleep, so in those times of transition into and out of the sleeping state, your mind is more open to suggestion in the form of images, sounds, etc. Just watch the movie Inception, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

If for some reason you must watch TV during those times – be mindful of the programming you select. Choose nature or educational programs over news, politics, or dramatic programming. While there are still advertisements sandwiched into the program breaks, the programs themselves tend to be more neutral. Another good option is to watch programming in another language. This can be a sort of ‘passive exercise’ for your brain. Even better, instead of watching TV when you transition from sleeping to waking, limit your TV time to when you transition from work to home.

cheers,

photo: kicking television, by dhammza

photo: by the warm glow of the television, by Heather Durdil