Saturday, October 01, 2005

Kill Your Television!

I really hate television. If I go into a bar that has a screen on, it sucks me in. Sports, news, game show, doesn't matter. I always end up raging against the feed.

Last night on lunch break two guys were talking about television channels. Not shows, but channels. I can never join in on such a conversation. I don't even watch The Simpsons anymore. I'll occasionally rent some flix, but otherwise the TV stays off, draped with a piece of dark red linen. I think the advertising did me in. It started with political ads. They made me feel mentally ill. Then the ordinary commercialization started to hammer me and the physical pain hit me.

I don't care how few clothes the chick is wearing in the commercial, I've tasted Pepsi and know that it is crap. I don't care how tasty they make that burger look, I've eaten at McDonalds and know that it is crap. I don't care how highly ranked the Ford Ranger is, I've driven one and seen the resale values on it and I know that it is crap. And don't you dare try to sell me anti-depressants! Every one of the symptoms of depression I exhibit can be traced directly to living in a consumer culture where I look around and see a logo on everyone I see (Harley shirt in the mirror included). Depression is a natural reaction to that.

And thus I overhear a guy at work saying, "I'm totally a TNT guy."

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