The Boobs vs. The Tube

Well, it's National Turnoff week. Activists are asking people to watch less TV and spend more time doing other things, as if we spend sixteen hours a day watching TV. When I was working as a reporter, TV was my only friend, especially after ten hours a day putting up with bullshit. I rented cars over the phone once, meaning that I spent more than eight and half, almost nine hours a day at my place of business. About three more hours commuting and about 6-8 hours sleeping.

I know that many people blame television as the decline of the western civilization, but let's face it, who always saying that, conservatives, Christians, and mainly Republicans, who have the same argument that TV is too liberal, as if 7th Heaven, Highway to Heaven, and Touched by an Angel were all flukes.

The reason people hate TV is because it is the only thing high society can't control no matter how many restrictions they put up. What I mean by that is over the centuries, culture was exclusive to those who attended operas, theatre, symphonies, and so forth. Reading was once considered a mark of high society. It isn't as much anymore. Then, the motion picture came along and people expected the worst. However, the Great Depression came along.

High society rejoices! Poor people can't go to the movies because they're broke. But believe it or not, people do go and watch movies about rich people. Let's face it, when you're poor, all you can think about is being rich.

My mother, who grew up in the 1940's once said that the local movie theater in town had a policy that stated that if parents carry their children in their arms, the kids can get in free in the movie theaters and my grandparents took advantage of it.

Then, the 1950's came along. Pop culture was rising with the television and pop albums by Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and so on. So, they have been tauting rock and roll as the work of the devil for decades now.

But what to do about that little box in the living room? Well, let's have the FCC tell people what they can watch and it lasted for two decades. Then, in the 1970's, cable came about, so fuck the FCC, we want to hear comedian Robert Klein say "shit" on HBO.

But we want more TV, because we're playing too damn much for cable. (We still are.) So, people buy satellites to get odd stations. A few companies realize they're sitting on an untapped well and satellite TV rises in the 1990's. People are willing to pay up to $100 a month for many channels they only watch once a month. Hey, if you think I'm lying, go to one of the poorest neighborhood areas in your town and count how many dish satellites are nailed on run-downed houses.

So, what else to do now?

Nothing.

So, we tell people to not watch TV.

I knew a girl in college who would boast that she didn't own a TV. She was a conservative Christian girl who ironically was a mass communications major.

It's the middle of the week and I urge everyone to watch all the damn TV you want. And if you want to read a book, do what I do, watch and read.

How can I have good sex without the porno channel on? I mean, c'mon, I need TV.