Kill Your TV. Cultivate Beauty
In our church community at Sojourn, we celebrate April as "Kill Your TV, Cultivate Beauty" month. The kick-off is a big TV-smashing fest, which the guys think is very cool. We put on an original film festival, give out prizes, etc. This year I've decided to observe "Kill Your TV" month.
Because I have a desk job, I'm on my cutie patootie at LEAST 8 hours a day. Which is ridiculous to begin with. The ludicrous part, however, is that many days I will rise up from a seated position long enough to put in my hour or so at the gym, only to go home and plop down in front of the TV until bedtime! And there's not even anything worth watching ON. (The hypnotic effect of the TV is a phenomenon. Some people will watch even the Weather Channel for hours upon hours, which is evidence of the tremendous power of the boob tube to suck a human being into mindlessly watching anything! But that's another post in and of itself...) Recent reflection on this sad state of affairs has convinced me that I have got to take proactive steps towards a more active lifestyle. Not busy, which I already am---active.
By giving up the supposed "luxury" of vegging, I will be forced to find alternative forms of entertainment and relaxation. The prospect of productivity is stimulating! I'm excited already and actually looking forward to it (which I realize is largely due to the fact that I haven't really gotten into ALIAS this season. If I had, this would be much less attractive.) No more wasting time and brain cells in the mindless act of watching TV. One less excuse for why I don't "have" time to do this or that.
The other, and even more, exciting prospect is that of giving my heart and mind some time off from the idealogical influence of modern media. Whether I want to be or not, I am inevitably influenced by what I watch. Aside from any and all artistic or creative value, TV and movies are powerful tools of communication and dissemination. And what is being communicated today is twisted and warped. A product of our times and expressive of our cultural worldview, yes----like I said, twisted and warped. When I stop to honestly consider how I view life and love, I have to admit that culture and media influence what I truly live and think just as much as what I say I believe. So to continuosly feed myself images and ideas that are contrary to what I know to be true only makes the struggle in my heart and mind that much harder!
All this to say: kill your TV. Cultivate beauty.
Life is short. I, for one, want to start making more of it.
posted by Lorie @ 2:31 PM
10 Comments:
Exactly. Visual media primarily promotes feeling-based, emotional (is that redundant?) decision-making and response. So when I see (and experience the feeling it elicits in me to see) the romance in a movie like that, it gives me a positive response to the whole thing. Artistic manipulation can make the ugly seem beautiful or poetic.
True works of art that depict adultery usually show the end result of that kind of life style, even while showing a certain amount of understanding for why a person makes a sinful choice -- think "Anna Karenina."
Most modern shows depict it as a cool thing to do, and/ or the norm.
I must admit it is somewhat ironic that the end result of "no TV month" is a festival where we sit and watch films we've made -- on TV.
That's true. :)
i very seldom watch tv. but whenever i walk by a tv that's on, i can't help but stare and watch. talk about a real life zombie flick, just look at most of america.
I for one wont be partaking in this activity. I already watch so little of TV and when I do its only vhs and dvd's as I don't have cable or get local channels very goood at all. The good side is my reading time is up that's for sure.
But I will be working on "the film" for all too see, creative yes. Deeply moving? I hope so. Adultery, lies, deciet, money, power, colorful metaphors? Most likely NOT.
Hmmm now thinking more into it, i dont know that I can give it up for a month, especially when I am trying to make a film on it? It is still Tv nonetheless. Same principals apply, so then wouldnt internet or streaming movies or videos count the same. Even thoug it's not as much tv as I once watched....I don't see me giving it up when sometimes that's all there is to do....just need a two hour vacation away from it all.
Tom---that's never ALL there is to do. That's my challenge for myself this month---to get out of the rut of feeling like watching TV is relaxing (mindless should not equal relaxing) or my only option. Suck it up and take the challenge, man! And, yes, I'm giving up movies, too. Of any kind (theater, dvd, etc.).
Cheryl, didn't you go see The Jacket??? That was before Tuesday! :)
The hardest thing for me will be avoiding the ol' boob tube at the gym! Those bad boys are EVERYWHERE up in there!!!
Oh, and I'm SO proud of your proper capitalization of proper nouns! (sniff)
Tom looks like a serial killer in his picture. But then, so do I, and I am just a harmless little ball of fur, so I guess maybe I shouldn't be scared of Tom ....
good for you, Lorie. Tom, I know if Lorie (Queen of Alias) can do this you can too! It's a tough habit to break, but coming from one who has succeeded in this area I know it's possible!
Besides, as Lorie says, what is there really to miss on television programming these days?
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