Switching Off

"Television, drug of the nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation"
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy

Last night I made the decision that I am going to spend a lot less time watching television. This earth-shattering decision came about for 3 reasons:

1. There is bugger all on television worth watching.
   
2. I am sick of what passes as news and entertainment today, and even sicker of advertising - in particular the current political campaigning, which is only going to get worse.
   
3. Winter is over.

This does not mean that I will be cutting out television all together. I will still be watching Spicks And Specks, The Chaser's War on Everything, Summer Heights High, Difference of Opinion and the occasional episode of The Simpsons. I will also keep an eye out for interesting documentaries such as Decadence: The Meaningless Of Modern Life and Get Up Stand Up. Apart from that, the tv will be turned off.

Having made the decision, I grabbed a book and spread out on the couch. I soon became aware of how not-silent my apartment is. Despite having no stereo or tv blurting out noise, there was still a constant hum emanating from the appliances that share my living space. I went around and unplugged everything that could be unplugged - the fridge and my pc were the only two devices left connected (the pc was in the process of burning a dvd). Doing this reduced the hum significantly, although the thermostat in the fridge meant that its basal drone kicked in and out occasionally.

I settled back on the couch (this time with a glass of scotch) and resumed my reading. But I could still hear humming, and its source was out of my control. I could hear the traffic on the roads outside, the low bass of cars idling on my street, distant tones from my neighbouring apartments. I thought to myself is this now what passes as silence? Have we become so accustomed to filling our lives with sound that we don't notice the constant noise that surrounds us? The electronic pitches, buzzes, hums and drones that fill our living and working spaces and go on ceaselessly are now accepted as silence? Is this the new rhythm of life?

My inner-country-boy longed to be on my uncle's farm, far away enough from civilisation to hear nothing but the wind in the pines and the scurry of nocturnal animals in the dark. My inner-hippy longed to be back in Cape Tribulation, nestled in the rainforest with the sound of the waves slapping on the beach in the distance. My inner-yuppie was too busy mourning the loss of the television.

How silent is your silent?

In case I don't post between now and Thursday: Difference of Opinion looks at tween-marketing this week - something parents need to become aware of fast. For background info, check out Two Knives and Imaginif.


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Hey Jealousy" Gin Blossoms
"Say It Aint So" Weezer
"Tremora Del Terra" Illuminatae
"Schoneberg" Marmion
"Animal" Pearl Jam
"Civil War" Guns N Roses
"It Doesn't Matter" The Chemical Brothers
"Standing On The Outside" Cold Chisel
"Hot" Purveyors Of Fine Funk
"Defiant" Christopher Lawrence
"Global Machine" Temperature Drop

Happiness has no price

Wednesday, mid-way through the week and (now that Weeds is off the air thanks to the incompetent management of Australian television networks) the only night where there is something actually worth watching on TV. Yes, believe it or not, there are television shows out there that can make people actually think. Remember thinking? It's that thing you used to do before you were brainwashed into becoming a consumer-slash-worker rather than a person. For the past 6 weeks, SBS has been screening 2 doco's which investigate modern life:

Counter Culture - investigates mass market consumerism and the cultural aspects of shopping of 6 different countries.

Decadence: The Meaningless of Modern Life - looks at modern society and its concepts of democracy, family, religion, corporatisation and sex.

I strongly, strongly, strongly urge anyone who is interested in society, morals, consumerism, capitalism and their own well being to watch Decadence. Here's a snipit to whet your appetite:



Why is it that we, being the western society, are so easily led? People in 3rd world countries can survive on the basic necesseties or even less, while we complain if we can't get imported sun-dried tomatoes in garlic aoli. Do we need it? Shit no! But for some reason, we've been taught to think that we should always be able to buy anything that we want - for a price. And we are continually wanting more and more to fill in our empty lives. Bitch is, the stuff we buy doesn't fill the void, so we buy more, end up with a heap of crap and still feel empty. We have stopped being people and are nothing but consumers with an isatiable appetite. And the big businesses are more than happy to keep dangling the carrots in front of us to keep us salivating.