My friend, kind of sarcastically of course, wondered if the Greeks and whatnot ever had to deal with this.
I told them they fought tigers and lions for funsies. So...no.
But of course speculative evidence about B.C. people fighting wild animals doesn't mean shit. So to add to that pretense, I said "Well...people back then didn't have things to distract them. They didn't have the Internet, TV, radio, video games, movies, phones and stuff".
Which got me wondering about our society and its love of all things escapism.
When was the last time you had a conversation that wasn't about something entertainment-related? And if you had to pick out all the conversations you've had in the past 2 weeks, how many of them were about something on TV or in a movie or something?
Then even in our homes we give credence to having the screens that supply us with that. Each house has at least 3 TVs; one for each main room (The living room, or wherever everyone hangs out at, the master bedroom, and that third room that's probably yours). Think about that. 3 different screens constantly on, constantly spewing something.
Same with the computer, which thanks to advent of Youtube, can now host various videos that offer the same pleasure but at your very own convenience. And God forbid there's only one in the house; because there's probably a daily battle for its use.
It doesn't bother me to have entertainment around. We need escapism to keep our minds sharp; sometimes handling situations the moment they happen with the emotions you immediately feel isn't healthy.
Or else Wayne Brady would, in fact, have choked a bitch.
At which point escapism helps you ease your mind and return to the situation with a clearer head.
But when it becomes everything you are or your society is, when all you can point to for what defines you are pieces of temporary entertainment, then, aren't you just as temporary?
I'm a catergory C person - as in none of the above. "None of the above" lol. I can appreciate television, manga, and my computer - but I can't pass up a good argument on the "big stuff" in life... in person. And when people give me constructive criticism about myself... I change accordingly - over time of course, I'm no whore =]
ReplyDeleteI agree with this article in that, yeah - entertain, and most things temporary can effectively run someone's life. To the point where when you talk to them, you're pretty much just listening to the news: "Hey, did you hear - Paris Hilton got herpes from Donald Duck!"
However, there are still those that can hold a conversation for a good few hours are so - and it has nothing to do with how big Pamela Anderson's breast are. =/
Rag and Bones, you should at least have faith. Because at least the next generation will still have the us as a generation to look up to - we will be relics technologically-wise, but we can still guide them. Shoot, grab the nearest high school freshmen and coach them - break them from their cellphones cold clasp lol
I grew up loving escapism, and now that I've experienced it - it's not that fun. You miss out on a lot =[
this escapism theory seems almost flawed to me. this only works in societies that are consumed by technology, and i do approve of the method in such situations.
ReplyDeletebut as a person born in a "third world country" (i HATE that term bacause it makes absolutely no sense, we are part of the same friggin globe) the idea on escapism might be reversed. since all they have is time to themself and prob a higher thinking level, a splurge of the media might be their antidote.
but then again im just saying, lets not go dull the minds of the few ppl that aren't constantly corrupted by a the tv or the awesomeness i call the web.