TV and the Revolution

dillont

dillont

Well-known member
Greetings fellow DVX nuts

After reading the thread that JH posted about "property seizure" I feel prompted to comment on something I've come to believe over the last few months....

This country sure has changed a lot since 9/11. Things that we thought were totally unacceptable to our country in the past are now happening. And there is some griping and moaning, but it appears nothing is being done, other than small groups who choose to stage a protest. Everyone seems to be content with the way things are going, even if it isn't in the best interest of democratic representation.

I am wondering something - if we didn't have TV to watch in the comfort of our own homes everynight for hours at a time, would we be doing something? I'm wondering if TV has caused some sort of complacency in people? As long as we're entertained, does it really matter that our freedoms are being chiseled away? As long as I can watch American Idol, who cares? To me, watching tv for many hours a day, instead of tending to family, friends, loved ones is irresponsible.

Has TV caused the public to become politically lazy? I heard something which I hope isn't true - but it appears it could be - that more people voted in the last American Idol contest than voted in the last election.

If my theory is correct - that the irresponsible consumption of television product has created a state of social comatosis - it has made me wonder if these same issues were happening before TV was given to the public - would there have been a revolution yet? Instead of watching tv, people would be talking to their friends, their lovers, their relatives, writing and corresponding with acquaintences, and tending to whatever else there is to do in life - would not these issues of passion come to a boil, rather than be snuffed out by our modern day drug of television?

I have many many questions now - I see the American public becoming outraged by so many things our government is doing, and yet a revolution doesn't occur. And I also see the placid faces of people who watch tv for hours at a time, and hear the conversations about what happened on Desperate Housewives last night, and it makes me wonder...

Has TV killed our ability to reckon with reality?

Sorry for the rant but I seriously am wondering!

Dillon
 
considering that a single person can vote something like 5 times for every phone line they have for american idol i seriously doubt that what you heard was true. but tv is sickening.
granted all of us are sitting here making movies for people to watch and tv programs and music videos and so on. we are part of the problem.. but hopefully most of us apsire to do more than merely entertain people into a vegitative state.. hopefully we seek to challege people, and make them think outside the complacent creating idol box or screen they watch our stuff on. maybe at the end we can put something up like.. "if you dont get out now and do something .. you are NOT cool.. you are dumb"
or at least if were just entertaining we can aspire not to sell out and make everything a corporate commercial or brainwashing project...you know.. inspire people to actually live again.
 
I think you're observation is correct, wether it is designed that way or just an unfortunate by product I have not as yet determined for myself. I have a major dislike and mistrust of the glass tit. Life is too short to watch others live theirs on television. I think it's possible that someone somewhere is using the medium to keep us in the loop, sorry, their loop, swinging our minds to their advantage. We are a culture that was raised on television and I think to some extent what we expect from life, love and relationships IS based on an MGM interpretation. TV to dumb us down and major league sports to kill off any of the fight we may have remaining in us. I don't think the film "Network" was so far fetched really...
 
i'm gonna have to go see that movie - I keep hearing so much about it.

I wonder if its planned or if its an unfortunate byproduct. It certainly is a brilliant legal drug to breed complacency.

Makes me think.

Dillon
 
I've watched about six hours of TV in the past year because I couldn't get passed my conception of contrived crap when I did watch, and commercials just insult my intelligence for the most part. News to me is nothing but fear mongering for ratings and my life is better for lack of hearing it 24/7. I agree that it's a good thing to be informed if the information is useful and unbiased. I get all my news from DVXuser. My girlfriend thinks the TV is a light bulb, it goes on as soon as she walks through the door and stays that way till the sleep timer chokes it long after she's sawing logs. I'm saving up to get her a Borg enhancement that will screw right into her skull and change chanels with pure thought:laugh:
 
I think your all right. TV has really changed the face of this country. I think someone should send a message to every viewer in this nation about the effects of not being involved in the 'real world' so to say...Like for example, the government taking people's houses away for development. People see that, they say..oh what a tragety..then turn the channel and go on to watch their favorite reality show, while eating their microwaved dinners. *not trying to offend some of you who do that stuff if you do*

I wonder what would happen if all of a sudden, TV was gone....

hm....well im only 15...i like to watch tv, but to a certain extent...i cant sit infront of the tube fore more than 2 hours a day, unless im watching a movie that i think is good. If im not watching tv...im either outside skating, filming, or doing some other stuff which involves *other* people to interact with. I think the TV makes people socially retarded, because when watching TV, and the situations that go on in a show...they dont really happen in real life...not saying that all of it doesnt happen..but majority of it doesnt really happen. And then people learn once they go out to socialize with others, "damn...what the hell is going on here?" ..giving if its a certain kind of situation.

Iduno i think im rambling by now...but I think after a while...people are going to start to get really stupid because of TV and all the **** that's broadcasted on to it.

A message from me....Go out, live and have a **** load of fun, because you wont get many opportuninites once you get older.

End.
 
Actually you get even more opportunities for fun as you get older. Drinking, strippers, late night booty calls. You have much to experience young padawan. :evil:
 
The point is if people are reached individually and in an isolated fashion, it really doesn't amount to a lot...it's a very isolated society. People are really alone to an unusual extent. That's a technique of control. I mean if you're sitting alone in front of the tube, it doesn't matter a whole lot what you think.
- Noam Chomsky 1993
 
Dellont, I couldn't agree more. ...Well, I could agree more, but it might make us both uncomfortable.

TV is a drug that was never approved for consumption. In the wrong hands its a weapon. In the right hands it's a resource and tool. But, too often, it's used as a weapon of influence and NOT a positive one. I don't blame "the media" for our de-evolution, I blame money and greed, that's the root of it. Advertisers and corporations who are constantly asking, "If we did this would we have more viewers and make more money?" Instead of asking, "If we did this would it be the RIGHT thing to do?" Much like decisions you and I make every day (Ex: "If I say this would it hurt her feelings? Should I call in sick today?") We make right and wrong decisions everyday, but they don't have a huge impact on the masses and we don't have the pressures of stockholders, nielson ratings, and a CEO threatening to fire us. You can see how the line between right and wrong can get blurred when money and greed is involved.

Example: We all know "sex sells", but is that the thing we should be selling? What if, instead, we sold intelligence and creativity? What if, instead of celebrities getting all the attention walking down the red carpet, teachers, poets, and starving artists (doing what they love) got all the attention and fame?

I always wanted to make a PSA that parodied the Academy Awards red carpet. But instead of fans fainting and screamng at famous actors or athletes, they were screaming at their old elemtary school teacher or their mom and dad. Holding up signs that say, "I Love You Ms. Johnson!" Anyone want to help me make that happen?

-pk
 
I never had Ms. Johnson as a teacher. Ms. Pippin, Ms. Shields, Ms. Steinman, Ms. Shorter, Mr. I had a crush on him in 5th grade, Ms. Penman, Ms. Story, Mr. Yedlicka, Mr. Swank, Mr. Bostick, Ms. Friedman, and uhm....hey, I cant remember my 12th grade homeroom teacher's name, but I can remember all the rest of them from first grade on....so maybe I did have Ms. Johnson.
 
dillont said:
I am wondering something - if we didn't have TV to watch in the comfort of our own homes everynight for hours at a time, would we be doing something? I'm wondering if TV has caused some sort of complacency in people?
Click to expand...

I'd type a response but I'm busy watching TV right now. I'll do it later ... maybe ... if I feel like it.

:cheesy:
 
dillont said:
If my theory is correct - that the irresponsible consumption of television product has created a state of social comatosis - it has made me wonder if these same issues were happening before TV was given to the public - would there have been a revolution yet? Instead of watching tv, people would be talking to their friends, their lovers, their relatives, writing and corresponding with acquaintences, and tending to whatever else there is to do in life - would not these issues of passion come to a boil, rather than be snuffed out by our modern day drug of television?

Has TV killed our ability to reckon with reality?
Click to expand...

While I do agree that TV has made a huge impact in our culture (How can it not with the average person watching 4 hours a day - BTW where do they get all that time?) I am always concerned with theories that reduce the problem down to one solution. I think that it is more then just TV. TV maybe the symptom of a greater problem - so just taking away TV would not fix the real problem. I think that it goes much deaper then TV - into the way people think, how they view life, and what is important to them. Change these things and then you begin on the path of true change, and fixing the underlying problems.

Just my thoughts.
 
My daughter and I rarely watch tv, but we watch movies of our choosing. I dont really like to be fed the news, so I check out the local paper online so I can skip the headlines I dont care to read about. I've never seen American Idol. I do however like to watch LOST and am currently intrigued with Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days. At night, if I cant sleep, I will watch BBC shows like As Time Goes By, Are You Being Served, Chef, and The Vicar of Dibley. But other than that, I dont turn them on.



Funny thing is, I have a tv in every room except the bathrooms. I have wall mounted stereos in there! haha!
 
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