The high price of watching television
Television as a technology has become truly ubiquitous. I recently stayed at a hotel in San Francisco and noticed there was a small screen television mounted next to the mirror over the washbasin so I could watch television even while I was brushing teeth or shaving! Kicking back and watching television at the end of the day sounds relaxing, and most of us don’t even question it.But watching television has tremendous negative effects that become apparent on inspection.
The effect of television on the quality of life is unbelievable. It is an insidious monster lurking and sapping inner vitality. It is not so much simply the time spent watching television but the effect of that on ones consciousness.
Here is what I have observed as negative side-effects and after-effects of watching television:
- Eye strain
- Buildup of body tension (neck and eye muscles in particular)
- Depression and feeling of lack of energy
- Disinterest in doing anything creative
- Lack of enthusiasm for life
- Feeling of being defeated
- Feeling of emptiness and wanting to eat/drink/smoke
- Lack of interest in doing any exercise
- Irritability
- Impatience
- Quick temper on small things
- Feeling of contraction and tendency to judge and condemn quickly
- Apathy towards world events and feeling of isolation
- Worldview that there is a lot of evil out there
- Reduced empathy towards other people
Here is what Eckhart Tolle says about television in his book New Earth:
“The average American, by the time he is sixty years old, will have spent fifteen years staring at the TV screen. … While it provides some relief from your mind, you again pay a high price: loss of consciousness.”
Steve Pavlina talks about giving up TV. Instead of giving up television altogether, he has a clever suggestion. Give up TV for 30 days, and see how it feels.
Personally, I have found the effects of not watching television to be positive in every area of life. Are you ready to let go of this addiction?
March 6th, 2007 at 12:56 am
I, too, have noticed how TV makes me loose interest in being in the world. I so very much enjoy my free time: reading informative magazines, knitting, and even doing productive things around the house. But when I watch TV, I literally loose my enjoyment in such things. Once I became aware of this, I literally lost interest in TV!
Some evenings my husband will read to me when I ask him to. (My favorites are old Sherlock Holmes stories, they are a good length, and enjoyable). I like to knit while he reads. There’s something so special about this kind of activity. It’s so simple and genuine and enjoyable, and it actually brings a feeling of closeness and peace. Very different than TV.
July 22nd, 2007 at 2:38 pm
When I was younger, my family had a TV until it broke. My parents refused to buy another one when they realized the numerous negative effects of watching TV all the time. I fully agree with this article, as when I recently watched hours of TV at a friend’s house for a few days, I felt all of the afore-mentioned effects, and remembered why I had made the decision not to have a TV in my own home.
I think that in this age of incredible technological advancement, it is too easy to get caught up in things like TV, video games, etc. - so many people end up living in an alternate reality and never having the chance to discover that there is so much more to life, that there is a purpose.
I have noticed that things like this can become distractions to us, pulling us away from the true meaning of life and the way to reach Nirvana. We must become more conscious of what we are doing in this life in order to progress any further; we must realize the realities - physical and spiritual - and hold on to the truth of things.
November 7th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
You are absolutely right about television. It’s a mental drain. I haven’t had a TV in ten years and I don’t miss it at all. People ask me how I have so much time to paint… I tell them I don’t have a television. It certainly frees you up to live life.