Children of the Screen

After reading Baylon’s article, “Children of the Screen,” I cannot deny that she makes very valid points, although I would like to think they are a bit extreme. Perhaps this is due to my personal choices and the choices of the people I surround myself with, but I know that my friends, family, and I love to participate in stress-less activities that do not incorporate a television or afternoon of video games and we are not obsessed with money or name brand possessions. That is not to say that I never partake in an evening of reality TV or a trip to the local shopping mall, but I prefer going to coffee with a friend, taking a hike in a beautiful place or participating in sports, clubs and group activities. At the very least I know that the people I have the most fun with are those that take a breather from the stresses of everyday life by enjoying time with others, having intellectual conversations and making life an adventure.

I realize that it would be extremely naïve of me to say that there are not people in America who would much rather come home from work and watch television than call up an old friend or read the latest popular novel. For example, consider obesity in America. I could not intelligently state that American’s are known for their overwhelming desire to participate in outdoor activities, exercise or even walk their dogs with such high statistics on death related to obesity. I am aware that there are a good number of parents in our nation who do not monitor the amount of time their children spend on the couch, watching TV or playing violent video games. Unfortunately the media is a huge part of America and there is no way to avoid the fact that people will take advantage of their ability to easily witness violence, sex and drugs through the click of a button. Watching television is in no way a crime or punishable, but it is something I feel people should limit their consumption of. It is a personal choice people make, to sit around lazily and watch TV, rather than experience life to it’s fullest.

As for the obsession with possessions in America, I find it easy to believe. People go to work on a daily basis in order to make money that they turn around and spend in order to buy their heart’s desire. We have an entire economic system based on the ability to produce and supply according to consumer’s demands. Million’s of people spend their lives working to produce faster, advertise more effectively and create new items of luxury, entertainment and “necessity.” There is a huge market for these things, and for one to indulge themselves and purchase a product that they may not need but rather simply desire, is not a sin or way to lose one’s spirit. I believe that desires are part of human nature, as well as jealousy for what others may possess. For people to buy seemingly useless products to induce temporary happiness is fine, as long as it does not result in a compulsion to buy, make money, or ignore the simple things in life. As long as money and possessions do not become the sole purpose of ones life, longing for a new outfit, toy or lawn tractor every once in awhile, does not result, in my opinion, in the “extinction of our spirits.”