silence says more than words, if we would only take the time to listen.

here is an interesting study i found on tv watching in the u.s.

Television Statistics
According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube. Compiled by TV-Free America; 1322 18th Street, NW ; Washington, DC 20036 (202) 887-4036

I. FAMILY LIFE
Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 99
Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24
Percentage of U.S. homes with three or more TV sets: 66
Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes
Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion
Value of that time assuming an average wage of S5/hour: S1.25 trillion
Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56
Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million
Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million
Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

II CHILDREN
Approximate number of studies examining TV's effects on children: 4,000
Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful
conversation with their children: 3.5
Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70
Percentage of parents who would like to limit their children's TV watching: 73
Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV
and spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54
Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500

III VIOLENCE
Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000
Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000
Percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79

IV. COMMERCIALISM
Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
Number of TV commercials seen by the average person by age 65: 2 million
Percentage of survey participants (1993) who said that TV commercials
aimed at children make them too materialistic: 92
Rank of food products/fast-food restaurants among TV advertisements to kids: 1
Total spending by 100 leading TV advertisers in 1993: $15 billion

V. GENERAL
Percentage of local TV news broadcast time devoted to advertising: 30
Percentage devoted to stories about crime, disaster and war: 53.8
Percentage devoted to public service announcements: 0.7
Percentage of Americans who can name The Three Stooges: 59
Percentage who can name at least three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: 17

Compiled by TV-Free America
1322 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 887-4036

why on earth do we watch tv instead of doing what we have to do or even doing what we want to do? maybe it is because tv puts us in a passive comatose state that feels relaxing. it feels good because a) we feel we have earned it after a hard day's work, b) our body is at its lowest metabolism rate, therefore we are completely relaxed, and c) our mind shuts down and temporarily relieves the stress of the day. we let our favorite shows and characters mindlessly enter our head as we wish our life was more like theirs.

we have no time for thought in our day. society tries to get us to constantly be doing something. but why does society try to do this (maybe money or maybe they want the heads of corporations to dictate our thoughts) and why do we listen? instead of thinking about our life, we think about the life of the character in our favorite show and how we wish we were like them, but never give ourselves the time of day to change our lives.

so if we are to improve ourselves and others, we must find the time to think in our busy lives. my suggestion is create a blog. it doesn't have to be public, you can make it just so only you can see it. but its gets you thinking, developing ideas and writing them down. its also nice so you can return to your thoughts and build on former thoughts so you don't keep reinventing the wheel. but i strongly suggest that you set aside time just to think, and i just think a blog is a great way to keep yourself in check and make sure that you are doing it. lastly, as always i invite you to share your thoughts by leaving a comment. i really appreciate your comments. plus i want this to be more of a conversation than just me posting and you reading. so please, please comment. thanks,
-michael

"it's not the lies that you sing, but what the silence will scream." ("a whisper and a clamor" by anberlin from cities)

silence says more than words if we would only take the time to listen.