tv
I woke abruptly from a dream at 6am a few mornings ago, and I've had an epiphany I want to share. This dream had people dieing and I awoke from a scene of guns, lots of guns. My first thought upon waking was 'why am I dreaming that? I dont dream things like that'. Then I realised I have been dreaming thing like that progressively more throughout the year. Then I realised, these dreams have been a relefection of the television I have been consuming. I dont like television, and most of my life I don't watch it. However I have visited my home town many times this year, and spent a lot of that time visiting my mother. I came to spend time with her, but it is quite hard, as most days she comes home from work, switches on the television and watches it until she goes to sleep. In attempts to talk with her, I have sat there hoping shared moments would lead to more conversation, however I find it difficult to have a meaningful conversation while being bombarded with guns, murder, hatred, death, sex without love, insanity and non-stop advertising. Sure, not every moment on tv is pure crazyness, but a lot of it is, certainly a lot more than exists in most of our lives. I have found myself experiencing unwholesome states of mind whenever I have been here.
So my epiphany is that television is bad for you.
ok, so most of you already knew that, but some of you didn't. I already knew that, but its been a long time since I felt it so strongly. I obviously knew it wasnt good, I had suggested to my mother a few times that she try not watching television, to which I got a response something like 'its how I relax after work, when I am tired from a big day', to which I replied 'maybe you wouldn't be so tired if you didn't watch so much television'. Now as I write that I realise it is not put in a way that is likely to help her change her behaviour, even if it is true. To be fair to myself I have also said how much more time would be found to follow interests if less tv was watched.
As I awoke and vowed not to watch television I found I woke up full of life and energy, enough to write most of this post at 6am. I have aso found I've had more energy and 'mental space' the last few days, and have een reminded of the so called relaxing effect of television, that many people report actually just make you feel tired.
So, onward to a clearer mind and more time to pursue the flourishing of humanity.
So my epiphany is that television is bad for you.
ok, so most of you already knew that, but some of you didn't. I already knew that, but its been a long time since I felt it so strongly. I obviously knew it wasnt good, I had suggested to my mother a few times that she try not watching television, to which I got a response something like 'its how I relax after work, when I am tired from a big day', to which I replied 'maybe you wouldn't be so tired if you didn't watch so much television'. Now as I write that I realise it is not put in a way that is likely to help her change her behaviour, even if it is true. To be fair to myself I have also said how much more time would be found to follow interests if less tv was watched.
As I awoke and vowed not to watch television I found I woke up full of life and energy, enough to write most of this post at 6am. I have aso found I've had more energy and 'mental space' the last few days, and have een reminded of the so called relaxing effect of television, that many people report actually just make you feel tired.
So, onward to a clearer mind and more time to pursue the flourishing of humanity.