Jan 28, 6:05 pm
I’ve found in the last six months that I’ve almost completely lost interest in television. It’s funny because I remember clearly arguing the case with Sarin for TV as a social good and a great artistic outlet. I had a career in television for many years and found it to be extremely fulfilling, surrounded by truly passionate colleagues who took their responsibility very seriously. Sarin pointed out to me that after a few months without TV you stop caring about it. I countered that not caring about it wasn’t necessarily a good thing as it disassociates you from a social bond that most of the people around you have with one another. I think I still believe that, but Sarin is right. After a few months you DO stop caring about it and that social bond stops feeling worth having.
I stopped watching TV for a number of reasons, none of which were high-falutin’ notions of bettering myself or some such snobbish thinking. I had a rubbish telly, the signal was bad, I had a lot of work on and I didn’t have enough time for social and personal gaming what with all the gaming for reviews. So TV went by the way side. First out was 24 - a truly brilliant show but too big a commitment. ER was next. Far too much story to keep up with if I were to miss an episode, and Lost, well that was right out! Before I knew it I was on zero hours of telly per week. This went on for many months and I began to hear back in my head the things Sarin had said about giving up the cathode rays. In that time I got a lot of gaming in and felt I really got back from it what I put in.
When I got the big HDTV my interest in telly took a bit of an upturn and I was really pleased to find that although I could watch a show, I felt no need to actually watch. The addiction was gone. I’ve been tuning in and out for the last month or so in between playing with my Pinata’s and shooting terrorists without any issues - but I’ve gone off it again. The fault of? Yes, you guessed it Big Brother. I’ve long suspected that Reality TV had become more and more about humiliation and cruelty. Having people sit inside cardboard boxes or eat horrible things and cry. Chosen for their disability, weakness or stupidity, members of the public and our nations politicians, film directors and musicians are watched to see if they are a ‘goodie’ or a ‘Goody’.
I had the TV on today. I watched some lava on the History channel. It was soothing. Most of the time though I use the box in the corner to explore worlds of ice and imaginary creatures, and to fight off baddies or play a million different varieties of virtual tag with my friends from all over the world. My conviction that the Jack Thomson’s of this world have picked the wrong whipping boy becomes more resolute every day.
Television is “a potential social menace of the first magnitude” – Lord Reith, First Director General of the BBC speaking in 1967.
