TV Addiction

TV ADDICTION

I feel compelled to share my very personal experience with the observation of, participation in, and eventual withdrawal from this particular cultural affliction.

One of the most striking evidences of television addiction can be observed in bars or dining establishments that have TVs in every corner of the room. People will be engaging in conversation with their table mates, all the while gazing fixedly at the moving images visible over their heads. Sometimes an entire family will crane their necks in the same direction, like a patch of flowers seeking the sun. In a curiously self-referential note, this behavior has found its way onto at least one television show.

Personally, if a TV is in my field of view, I find it impossible to resist the flickering light. It catches my eye and drags it, kicking and screaming, until my focus is firmly anchored on that play of light and shadow. I start, as if awaking from a dream, and return to the conversation, only to find my gaze drawn inexorably back to that magnetic box. It is as if the patterns generated by the tube reach into my brain and trigger an ingrained reflex, below the level of conscious awareness, causing me to respond with a stare and some drool.

This brings us to withdrawal. When I first made the decision to go without TV, I would pace the room, filled with restless energy, vainly casting about for something to do. I took refuge in books, but would still find my hand fidgeting, as if clasping an imaginary remote control. I found myself absent-mindedly looking for the TV, much in the same way a recent ex-smoker will pat his pockets looking for that crumpled pack of cigarettes that is no longer there. Sometimes I would grab a coke and a bag of chips and sit looking out the window, trying to regain that inner satisfaction of the disembodied observer. Despite rumors to the contrary, I did not suffer from the shakes. Really.
It soon became apparent that, like a recovering alcoholic, I suffered from the societal disregard of those who do not partake. Conversations would stop abruptly as it became apparent I had not seen the latest episode of “Seinfeld,” and thus could not appreciate the retelling of certain key punch lines. I remained completely ignorant of the standings of various football teams. Game shows came and went without my knowing. I had to turn down invitations from friends that would have included an hour or two in front of the TV watching chart-topping sitcoms. Around some social circles I became a pariah.

In one of the hazards of addiction withdrawal, much like going from heroin to methadone, I found myself constantly at the movies. It may seem like an obvious addiction-substitution, but I indulged in rampant self-justification. After all, this was art, widely recognized as the twentieth century’s contribution to the Classics of the Ages. Serious issues were discussed, and much knowledge was gained from these wide-screen epics. Film degrees could be had from highly respected universities. There were entire half-hour TV shows devoted to reviewing these masterpieces of modern art. Oops, I had a little relapse there.

Slowly, however, I reaped the benefits of my new TV-free lifestyle. I took up bike riding, improving my health and my knowledge of the immediate neighborhood all at the same time. A new circle of friends developed, those who shared an interest in books, outdoor sports, and gossip. People who disdained the mere mention of Nielsen ratings and Emmy awards. I became interested in various obscure music genres and found myself out and about attending concerts. My eyesight improved (just kidding).

All in all, my life has been much richer since giving up TV. In these changing times there has even come to be a certain pride in forsaking the golden tube, and my social standing has improved concurrently. However, temptation persists. There are still moments, sitting at that crowded bar, when I’ll be wakened by the snapping fingers of my dinner companion, trying to drag me back into the conversation after my eyes have locked once again onto the ubiquitous, and hypnotic, television screen.