“Did you see that programme on the tele’ the other night?”
Have a conversation with somebody and even those who are the most educated will unfailingly pepper it with a television reference.
“Eh...well, I don’t actually have a television. Haven’t had one for years.”
“Oh really...but what do you do with your time?”
My daughters at school get similar bewildered reactions.
“Don’t have a television...ooh. I am sorry.”
“But it is not a terminal illness.”
“Oh yeah. I know what you mean, but the tele’ well, it is a sort of a friend isn’t it?”
Indeed, and for some their 'best' friend.
It is not dissimilar to the God argument, you believe or you don't. Similarly, you believe having a televison is a benificial thing or you believe as I do that it is an omnipresent, Orwellian manipulator.
These people who pepper their conversations with 'did you see this and did you see that' on the tele'
you feel like saying to them, isn't life virtual enough for you?
One of the beneifts of not having a televison is you are out of the cultural loop, the terrifying banal cultural zeitgeist that is modern day television. For instance the 'soaps' where emotional problems are resolved in half hour segments. Hello! obesity, teenage pregnancy and other emotional problems or abusivie issues are not resolved in half hour slots. This give an erononeous message to young people i.e you can enter into this area and it is easily resolved.
But the culture emanating from television is not easy to escape. Second hand you cannot but hear of the latest television phenomenon X Factor, because that constitutes a good deal of what the pupils talk about at my kids' school - hey, we are talking Grammar school here!
So you go to the gym and now they have televisions installed there and as you cross train away you see this balding (ok folically challenged) spangled to the eyeballs fat man, (ok horizontally challenged) with a dozen or more half naked, feathered women cooing and oohing round him. You think is this science fiction, then the camera pans across to the judges and you realise this is the phenomenon called X Factor. The judges faces have a look of the most inane appreciative stupidity and even a tear for this kitsch - the present day equivalent of what in other ages might be bare fist pugilism, cock fighting, or the Coliseum.
The insidious nature of this trash becomes evident when you read that our Prime Minsiter is a fan of the architect of this voyeuristic rubbish. Populism tempts our leaders up strange avenues, Gordon Brown, poor chap, would have us believe that he never missed the tosh that was X Factor and he was a fan of the Arctic Monkeys too, oh really? And Lord Sugar of Sugar Tooth Fairy was ennobled and got a seat in the Lords for.... what was it now...oh yes, being on the tele'. So you just don't know where the attractions of populism will tempt those in authority.
So, do I feel superior in not having a television? No
Should I feel superior in not having a television. Eh...Yes.
But seriously, what is good about having a television? You tell me...
Indeed, and for some their 'best' friend.
It is not dissimilar to the God argument, you believe or you don't. Similarly, you believe having a televison is a benificial thing or you believe as I do that it is an omnipresent, Orwellian manipulator.
These people who pepper their conversations with 'did you see this and did you see that' on the tele'
you feel like saying to them, isn't life virtual enough for you?
One of the beneifts of not having a televison is you are out of the cultural loop, the terrifying banal cultural zeitgeist that is modern day television. For instance the 'soaps' where emotional problems are resolved in half hour segments. Hello! obesity, teenage pregnancy and other emotional problems or abusivie issues are not resolved in half hour slots. This give an erononeous message to young people i.e you can enter into this area and it is easily resolved.
But the culture emanating from television is not easy to escape. Second hand you cannot but hear of the latest television phenomenon X Factor, because that constitutes a good deal of what the pupils talk about at my kids' school - hey, we are talking Grammar school here!
So you go to the gym and now they have televisions installed there and as you cross train away you see this balding (ok folically challenged) spangled to the eyeballs fat man, (ok horizontally challenged) with a dozen or more half naked, feathered women cooing and oohing round him. You think is this science fiction, then the camera pans across to the judges and you realise this is the phenomenon called X Factor. The judges faces have a look of the most inane appreciative stupidity and even a tear for this kitsch - the present day equivalent of what in other ages might be bare fist pugilism, cock fighting, or the Coliseum.
The insidious nature of this trash becomes evident when you read that our Prime Minsiter is a fan of the architect of this voyeuristic rubbish. Populism tempts our leaders up strange avenues, Gordon Brown, poor chap, would have us believe that he never missed the tosh that was X Factor and he was a fan of the Arctic Monkeys too, oh really? And Lord Sugar of Sugar Tooth Fairy was ennobled and got a seat in the Lords for.... what was it now...oh yes, being on the tele'. So you just don't know where the attractions of populism will tempt those in authority.
So, do I feel superior in not having a television? No
Should I feel superior in not having a television. Eh...Yes.
But seriously, what is good about having a television? You tell me...
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