June 26, 2018

Taking A break From TV

by Harlan Richards (author's profile)

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HARLAN RICHARDS
June 23, 2018

Taking a Break From TV

I put my TV under my bed a few days ago and plan on leaving it there for at least a month. Over the decades I've been a prisoner, I have frequently gone for years without a TV. In 2012, I bought my current TV so my cellmate at that time could watch TV. Since then, I've developed the habit of watching TV daily. I watch the evening news, PBS, and movies.

Another reason I bought the TV was that I realized I was going without a TV just so I could be a purist snob. I would flaunt my TV-less status in front of others as if that made me special or better than everyone else. I realized that acting superior to others because I didn't watch TV was immature and shallow. People have a right to spend their time any way they want, and I should not judge others. Buying a TV and watching it was intended to make me more accepting and tolerant of others.

On the other hand, I was much more productive and disciplined without TV. So I put it away to help me break out of a rut (real or imagined? I don't know). Besides that, summertime has mostly reruns so I'm really not missing much. And I'm totally sick to death of Donald Trump on the news. I have never observed a more dishonest, lying, amoral person in my life. If I encountered a person with his character flaws in my personal life, I would shun that person. I would not want a person of such low moral fiber in my sphere, no matter how rich he is or how many deluded supporters he has (even Jim Jones had followers willing to drink the kool-aid).

Anyway, I'm developing a new set of habits without a TV. It's new, exciting, fun, and challenging. Just what I needed to get out of my rut.

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Harlan Richards Posted 5 years, 9 months ago.   Favorite
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