My last post touched on one aspect of modern living that creates stress — compressed time. This post considers another factor that contributes to stress. We are bombarded by information from all directions. There are many modern tools that contribute to this, and among them is the television.

Television is a powerful medium and, used properly, can be a vehicle for education and entertainment. However, as in many things we enjoy, too much of it bloats the sense it stimulates. I have come to see t.v. as a giant glass eye that hinders truly seeing. What we view on the screen can become a substitute for reality.

Here are some interesting statistics regarding television viewing:

TV STATISTICS (compiled by TV Free America)

According to the A.C. Nielsen Co. (1998), the average American watches 3 hours and 46 minutes of TV each day (more than 52 days of nonstop TV-watching per year). By age 65 the average American will have spent nearly 9 years glued to the tube.

1. Percentage of US households with at least one television: 98
2. Percentage of US households with at least one VCR: 84
3. Percentage of US households with two TV sets: 34; three or more TV sets: 40
4. Hours per day that TV is on in an average US home: 7 hours, 12 minutes
5. Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
6. Number of videos rented daily in the US: 6 million
7. Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million
8. Chance that an American falls asleep with the TV on at least three nights a week: 1 in 4
9. Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

What might you do to assess the quality of life that mindless television viewing steals from you?

To start, consider why you watch television. American homes often have televisions not just in the living room, but in the kitchen, bedrooms, and even the bathroom. Raise your viewing consciousness by asking yourself:

• How many hours do you spend watching television per day or week?
• What else might you do that would bring you more pleasure and contentment?
• If you were given an imminent date that you would die, is there something you would do besides watch t.v.?
• Could you and your loved ones benefit from more time spent consciously interacting and enjoying each other?
• Is television a habitual diversion because you’re too tired or bored to think of anything else to do?

Consider what you watch. The next time you want to turn on the t.v., ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” Take the time to think about what information is important to you, what kind of entertainment you want. Then review the kinds of shows offered to find those that will satisfy. Be observant of style and content. Create a scale to measure the importance a show. A 1 would mean not at all important, and a 10 would mean extremely important. Then next time you find yourself watching a show, ask yourself what you would rate it in terms of quality and importance. For any show you would assign a 5 or 6, consider turning off the set. Do something different!

I want to particularly address news shows. Television news shows are designed to promote dramatic sound bites in order to draw you in. The news invariably focuses on the negative. We are bombarded by graphic images, manipulated by dire headlines, all in the effort to be informed citizens. There was a time when I found myself seriously depressed by all the news I was watching, listening to, and reading. I decided to go on a “media diet,” and I stopped consuming this information. Over time, I discovered my mood was restored. Beyond this, I realized that I vicariously ingest enough news without making a particular effort, so I remained fairly well informed. After awhile, I carefully chose to re-incorporate news into my life. I listen to NPR, read Newsweek, and skim the NY Times online. Every now and then I reduce my intake of these sources in order to maintain a healthy balance.

Living fully requires consciousness and full participation. If you apply this to your television viewing habits, you will be pleasantly surprised.