Television is full of “stuff.” When one turns on his TV, he has the power to watch the fanatical preacher or hard-lined scientist, simply with the touch of a button. Never has so much information been available to us at one time. Never have we had access to the opinions of others with such ease. For the person who seeks a moral life, this increase in technology corresponds to an increase in required judgment. The life of seclusion is no longer possible. Choices must be made. Much of this “stuff” on television is mindless. So, is it worth watching?
To say that anything is “mindless” exists as a fallacy all by itself. Our minds are always actively engaged, and the day that they aren’t, is the day that we cease to be human. Obviously, this will never happen. However, this does not mean that some exercises do not require less mental stimulation that others. So, in reality, “mindless” can be replaced by “less mind.” Unfortunately and perhaps inevitably, television is one of these “less mind” activities. Perhaps this is why my parents have deemed it “the brain-sucker.” It is far too easy to plunk down on the couch and start watching Heroes or The Office and forget about everything else that is going on. However, is this so bad?
This forgetting of reality is commonly deemed escapism. For centuries, it was provided by stories, either those told by word-of-mouth or in more civilized instances, read in books. The modern escapism is found on the silver screen. The difference between the mediums exists in the faculties required to enjoy each. Stories require imagination. Things are described, but it is up to the hearer or reader to put life to the people and places. In television, on the other hand, much more is provided and less imagination is required. One has to want to think to receive benefit from television, but most don’t desire to, resulting in a dumbing down of society.
Now, I’m not saying that all forms of “less mind” entertainment are bad. There’s nothing quite like relaxing in front of a show or film for pure amusement. Sometimes, it’s alright to calm the mind; but if the majority of your time watching television is spent staring blankly at characters on a screen without at least some mental synapses racking your brain, then I suggest you find something else to do with your time. Personally, I always try to use my mind to the utmost extent possible when watching TV, unless it is one of the pre-described instances spent in lapses of exhaustion. God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to “examine everything carefully” (NIV). Therefore even when watching television, our mind should be engaged. This spiritual sense should always be awake, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t put the rest of our mind to sleep. Healthy doses of “less mind” entertainment are fine. The problem begins when it dominates your life.
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