I watch too much television. If I’m not working or out with friends, I can be found in front of my 50-inch flat screen, surrounded by speakers from my home theater system. Between Netflix, DIRECTV, Hulu, and VUDU, there’s always something to watch. I’ve always been a fan of epic dramatic movies and TV series, but the problem is that more and more television has become my addiction. I don’t even like what’s there anymore. Quality and originality have gone out the door (with a few exceptions, of course…can you say “Burn Notice?”) and I still sit, mesmerized by the bright colors and surround sound, hoping that come up with something better next… .or after that.
Actually, I don’t watch that much TV. I work too hard to watch more than a couple of hours a day, but it has become my main hobby during my downtime and this worries me. I used to go for a walk, read, write in my journal, talk on the phone with distant friends and family, or just drive. Now these things seem to happen less and less.
This article is not really about the problems of watching television. Primetime is simply a conduit for a much larger problem that many of us face and deal with in our own way. Today we have parted ways. Many of us are discouraged by the economy of the last few years, fearful of our political future and worried about the problems that tomorrow will bring. Many of us have surrendered our willpower to fate. Where we once thought that hard work, ethical behavior and strong moral values would propel us forward, we are now stuck with “forward” merely a campaign slogan as we all sit motionless, living our lives vicariously through television. reality or our more adventurous Facebook friends.
Life is not meant to be lived switching between work mode and isolation mode, yet many of us go about our days with no aspiration other than getting home in our layers. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think this comes from laziness. It is deeper than that. If you’re like me, all you want to do is hide from what the world has become. The sofa becomes our secret safe zone, where nothing can hurt, scare or stress us.
Recently, I have begun to realize the stupidity of my concealment. Inside, huddled close to Fox News, CNN and the Kardashians, the world is a scary place. But outside, the sky is still blue, the grass is still green (except for the brown spots where my sprinklers seem to magically jump), the sun is still shining, and the moon is still out every night to play with the stars. In many ways, I think we’ve let the media and our Facebook friends talk us into giving up. The battle is not over; the world is not scorched by death and decay. We’ve been offline and missed the game due to rain, but it’s a beautiful day out of our own pessimism. Thunder clouds are rolling in our heads as birds sing, squirrels gather, bees buzz, and life goes on. It’s time we stopped hiding and recommitted to life.
The real problem is that we have forgotten what life is all about. We have forgotten that the simple things (a walk in the park, a good laugh with close friends, a hug from a child) are the things that build real value in life. We can’t begin to replenish our savings accounts and 401k until we open our eyes to the life around us. No matter what happens on the Jersey shore, what scare tactics are spouted in the media or what political cartoons are posted on Facebook, tomorrow is another day. It is time for us to rebuild our own economy, the economy of a full life. Go outside, meet your neighbors, remember your friends, enjoy the richness of nature. Rejuvenate your soul, refresh your mind and strengthen your body. Then go out and rebuild your business, conquer your sales meeting, inspire your staff, and show the world that we’ve come out of hiding, back in the game, and ready to win. Pawn Stars can be recorded on DVR and Facebook posts can be replied to later. Today, we have a real life to live.