I go home at lunch most every day to let my dogs out. Every afternoon I walk through the front door, let the dogs out of their kennels, and then turn on the TV. At night when I get home from work, if Dean hasn't already done so, I will turn on the TV. When Dean and I crawl into bed at night the TV is always on until we fall asleep. On the weekends I will usually dedicate at least a few hours to house cleaning, during which time I have the TV on. Not necessarily being watched, but on nonetheless.
I have been watching TV since I was a little kid. So have a lot of people in this country. However, I feel like I watch more TV now than I ever did when I was growing up. Does anyone else feel this way? When I was a kid, I had so many other things to amuse me, so many other things that I spent my time doing, TV wasn't really one of my top priorities. From a child development standpoint I guess this is a good thing, but I'm wondering why TV has become so much more a part of my life now. Is it because I don't have as much outside stimulii? Or am I becoming lazier?
It's true that spending hours in front of the TV is often construed as being lazy. But TV can also provide one with a sometimes much-needed escape. From work, from a fight with your spouse, from just about anything that might be weighing on your mind. And let's face it, sometimes we need an escape, or at least a couple hours of distraction before we let oursleves sink back into reality.
Also, as much as I am absolutely in love with Netflix and the fact that they have hundreds and hundreds of movies and TV shows available on instand download, I admit that it has definitely contributed to my inclination to flip on the tube rather than turn on the radio. Come on now, how awesome is it that in a matter of minutes I can access the entire first season of "Friday Night Lights" and watch it as long and as many times as I want? (On a side note, has anyone ever noticed how much beer Tim Riggins actually drinks on that show? The boy NEVER has a glass of water!)
I guess the one thing that confounds me more than anything is my habit of having the TV on even if I am not watching it. For instance, during my weekend house cleaning I am upstairs, downstairs, running the vacuum, doing dishes, all sorts of activities that do not involve sitting on the couch and paying attention to a particular program. And yet the TV is on, the volume is up, and I in turn am wasting electricity all for the sake of background noise.
Even in the mornings when I sit on the couch and read. I am engrossed in a book, paying attention only to the words on the page, and the TV is still on. Some people might find this a distraction, but I'm very good at tuning things out. That and multi-tasking....perhaps this is an example of both.
Here's my question. Why are we (because I'm sure I'm not the only one) so inclined to watch TV even when we aren't watching TV? What is it about that box with the startingly clear picture that keeps us coming back for more, even when we should be doing other things? Is it more than wanting an escape.....are we all addicted to TV?
I will sometimes force myself to not watch TV. To sit and read a book in total silence. To turn on my iPod when I am cleaning. I find it refreshing to take a break from TV, to force myself to become creative again in the ways of entertaining myself. It's like I want to prove to myself that I still got it, that I don't need TV in order to be occupied.
Of course, this can only last so long. Because when I see those new episodes of "Glee" scheduled for Tuesday nights you will find me right back on the couch.
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