25. Turn Off the TV

Studies have shown that in the typical American household the TV is on approximately seven hours per day. If you’ve been on the fast track these past years, the chances are good you haven’t had a lot of time to spend in front of a TV. But you may be spending more time watching television than you realize. You may not have stopped to consider how your television viewing may be affecting you and your family, and how it’s dictating your purchasing and life-style choices. I urge you to give some thought to it.

Think about whether the lives portrayed on your favorite sitcom contribute anything positive to your life, or whether repeated exposure to crime and violence contributes to your peace of mind. Think about whether the “thirty-second sound bite” format of most television news gives you any real information. Think about whether the addictive habit of watching television contributes to your aliveness, spontaneity, and sense of freedom.

And, if you’ve made the decision to reduce your need for goods and services (#42), think about the overpowering effects of television advertising:

By far the largest percentage of the over $125 billion spent last year by advertisers was spent on television commercials. Christopher Lasch, in his best-selling book, The Culture of Narcissism, points out that modern advertising creates a consumer who is “perpetually unsatisfied, restless, anxious, and bored.” Judging simply by the percentage of advertising dollars spent, it’s reasonable to assume that television has done more to foster the consumer spending of the eighties, and what Lasch refers to as “the new forms of discontent peculiar to the modern age,” than any other medium.

If you suspect the habit of watching television might be playing a significant role in the complexity of your life, I suggest you read Unplugging the Plug-in Drug, by Marie Winn. This book explains TV addiction, and offers an easy, step-by-step program both you and your children can use to reduce or eliminate the use of television.

Come up with a personalized list of things you can do, either by yourself or with your family, to take the place of watching TV, such as reading the classics again, or reading out loud from your favorite plays. Set up some board games or other types of games you can play with the family, such as charades, Twenty Questions, Monopoly, or Trivial Pursuit. Or, find a hobby that will consume you.

If you’re addicted to television, kicking the habit will certainly simplify your life. People who’ve done it say it’s one of the best things they’ve ever done.