Television “programming.” One “programs” computers, one “programs” robots, and one “programs” the human mind, so why are the shows on television called “programming?” But I already digress. On with the rant.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good visual yarn, be it TV, Film, Play, or even a YouTube video. I don’t even dislike the reality TV creates so much as pity those who immerse themselves in it in any meaningful way. Marshall Mcluhan spoke, early, and often about the perils of Teevee so I’ll not wax poetic about the sociological factors here. And most know that the flickering light of the TV itself, yes even that flat screen, puts one in a hypnotic state moments after watching it turning most into mindless zombies. You can read more about the connections TV and celebrity have on my article here. My gripe here is the ubiquitous nature of this beast due to the introduction of flat screen television.

Prior to the invention of the flat screen TV, the idiot box was a bulky unruly thing. The first were x-ray cannons that required space, power and commitment to see a program all the way through. Then in the 80’s they got better, but not much smaller as they eliminated tubes for the world of solid-state components and sleeker designs. This physical limitation meant the TV was pretty much relegated to home and a few other locations.

Then the flat screen nightmare began. Cheap LED components meant a TV cost no more then a pack of cigarettes to buy and could be put anywhere. Anywhere, no I take that back, everywhere. I can’t get away from the damn things. In some Orwellian nightmare somewhere there are fewer TV’s attacking the sensibilities of the population. The gym – every cardio machine has it’s own, plus dozens more, the bus, every waiting area on the planet, every bar, every restraint, a whole lot of cars, CARS! Some have them in every room of their home, they are in offices, stadiums, urinals (god damn urinals!) – screw this they are everywhere, period. Everywhere.

The constant flickering lights of images hitting me at every turn is just awful. In a great majority of cases no one is watching! It seems some sort of law was passed while I was sleeping that simply mandated if you have people near you, ever, you have to have a TV on. “If you have a bar, you have to have at least one TV (dozens are best),” “If someone comes to you for something you must have a TV,” must be the entire text of the law.

Dystopian is the word to describe this assault. There is not down time, there is no personal time in the world at large, there is only time where the TV isn’t right in front of you as much. On and on the droning of meaningless nothingness. A hellish brand of visual attack and symbols designed to make one feel worthless, pointless and useless except when it comes time to buy things.

People talking on and on and on and on about nothing – seriously nothing. There are dozens of sports channels covering a handful of sports, showing people talking on and on about what? What are these people talking about, does any of it matter? Would anyone listen if they weren’t on this damn thing?

No person on TV actually says anything true for fear of being called on it, so they talk in circles about nothing, except they say it with force to imply it is meaningful. Talking heads going on and on and all in glorious High Def. High Def is another disaster. At least prior to Flat Screen/High Def combo the folks on the programming box seemed unlike us, marginally perfect in some way we we’re not. Now I can see every pimple, bag and wrinkle and the plastic surgery horrors clearly visible now serve as a public service announcement of what not to do to your face.

When does it end? I would rather they just tattoo one on my forehead and get rid of all rest as it would be less of a visual issue. But instead the new OLED’s are coming, which will make it possible to not only put one on my forehead, but on everything that doesn’t have one now. There is nothing to look forward too.

This can only end badly. I fear if the TV’s go dark the addicts will revolt. Yet if the TV’s do not go dark soon the addicts will be lost forever. I wonder, when you see random acts of vandalism, why do you never see a TV being bashed to pieces? People will bash or graffiti anything and everything but the god box.

Tags: TV, Senses, Soul