No TV: A Week Without Television
All your efforts thus far have focused only on the remote control nestled in the palm of your hand like a comforting pet, your fingers unconsciously manipulating the buttons.
You probably don’t normally indulge in such a gluttonous marathon of television viewing, but as you have decided to forego any devotion to that magic image box for a whole week, you felt the need to pack in a few extra hours before the starting buzzer.
That’s right. A whole week. Without television. Seven days. One hundred and sixty eight hours. Starting from 8 PM Sunday through 8 PM the following Sunday, you and your family have decided to go without watching television, not even for a single minute. You are allowed to set the timers on your VCR to record your favorite shows, but you must promise yourself and make every effort not to cheat.
The world existed long before television, but we have become a society reliant on what television delivers into our homes. We rely on its sitcoms for laughter, on the news channel for current events, on cartoons to entertain our children, on soap operas to give us glimpses into lives filled with such romance and turmoil they can’t possibly be real. But that is why we watch television. To take us away from reality.
The television is like a window into another world, and even if the news is happening right outside our doorstep, when viewed on that flickering screen, we are safely separated from it. Unless it affects us directly, we can watch the news, proclaim shock and sadness at the horrors of the world, and then turn the channel.
So I invite you to enjoy a week without television. Enjoy a week without celebrities, without movies with bad plotlines and sub-par acting. A week without sitcoms and “reality” shows. A week where you and your family can truly experience reality outside the box.
Perhaps you already indulge in a healthy dose of outdoor activity, regulating television to a respectable limit. In that case, congratulate yourself, for you have risen above the lure of television and its hypnotic gaze. But imagine an entire week without any television at all, and really allow yourself to soar.
You may at first be confused and frightened by the eerie silence that remains in the house after the television has been turned off, leaving behind an empty void. Fill that void with music. Surely if you dig through that stack of CDs you’ll find a few favorites that you haven’t listened to in quite some time.
Now that the noise issue is solved, what about the rest of the week? That’s easy
You might not realize it, but your own house holds numerous possibilities for entertainment. Board games, books, magazines, cooking and baking projects, chores (yes, chores need to be done sometimes, and what better way to distract yourself from that first day of television withdrawal). Card games, exercise, creative projects, storytelling. Redecorate, relax.
If you must have the news, turn to a newspaper or the internet, but remember, no cheating. Avoid watching any sort of movie and television related content on the computer.
When you tire of being indoors, then simply open the door and face the world. Yes, that’s real sunlight beaming down upon your face. It looks and feels different than the light projected from your television, doesn’t it?
Your own backyard and beyond is full of wondrous delight and uncharted activities. You’d be amazed at what you can find in your own town if you only take the time to look. Examine your local newspaper and town websites to find news and listings of community events and festivals. Nearly every week, especially the weekends, are filled with numerous events and activities for adults and children alike.
Visit sunny beaches, beautiful parks, and local historical museums. Go for walks around the neighborhood and see how different it appears when viewed slowly and casually, rather than from the inside of a passing vehicle. Take a leisurely bicycle ride.
Find a favorite outdoor spot and enjoy the peaceful tranquility. Pack a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon in the park. Go to an amusement park, an aquarium, or a zoo. Go to a free concert or community theatre.
Play outside with your children. Plan a romantic evening with your spouse. Visit relatives. Host a barbecue.
Reacquaint yourself with a hobby you haven’t practiced in a long time, or an old acquaintance you haven’t spoken to in a long time. Sit and look at your family, and really see each other as you haven’t in a long time.
When the week is nearly over, look at the television, and realize how much you have accomplished without the distraction of the box. Perhaps you’ll want to challenge yourself to another week.
Perhaps it won’t be much of a challenge at all.
