Television a livelyhood, escape for some
CHRISTOPHER MENA
menach@mscd.edu

   I have to be honest: I love watching television. I mean I really love it. I love watching “24,” “Scrubs” and “Heist.” I love my Saturday morning cartoons. I love my “Daily Show.” I love my History Channel. I love my Cartoon Network. I love my “Myth Busters.” I love my Animal Planet. I love them all!

   And, if it weren’t for television, I would be out of a job. I write screenplays. I write animation plays. Where would I be if everyone decided to stop watching television and go for long walks or plant a garden?

   I would be on the streets, poor, asking you for spare change while you were on a walk. And, I would not be alone. There would be millions more people out on the street—broke, drinking and pan handling. Get rid of television, you get rid of jobs. Imagine thousands of actors, producers, editors, sound people and whoever goes into making a television show suddenly out of a job.

   Does that world sound interesting to you?

   But then, why stop at television? Why not also break the habit of the Internet and radio? They suck up our attention just the same. And then, after all forms of entertainment are gone, we can sit around a fire and talk about our boring day.

   Maybe I’m being too rash. But, television is one of the greatest creations ever. When I’m sick and can’t move, I turn it on. I can’t go for a walk or plant. Hell, if I go for walks and start planting, I would have to communicate with people. I don’t want that. I don’t really like them. I’m not surrounded by beautiful people—I live off of Colfax.

   In fact, what are all the benefits of television? I can see places I will never have the money to go and visit. I’ve gotten to watch spaceships take off and land. I’ve learned more about our country’s history. I’ve learned how to cook new meals, train my dog to do new tricks, learned how to be a better screenwriter, had my alphabets and numbers reinforced, watched two great buildings in my home state crumble to dust and watched Michael Jackson’s steady progression to becoming a white female.

   So, I have to put up with commercials. So, I’ll become a walking advertisement. So, I’ll be just another slob at the water cooler talking about Jack Bauer. So. Great. Take away television and I’ll be one pissed off man.

   Though, this isn’t to say that I don’t agree with several of Ms. Williams’ points. I do agree that children watch way too much television for their own good. I guess that’s my only agreement.

   So, during this “TV Turnoff Week,” I’ll be watching more television and I will encourage people to watch the new episode of “24,” “Lost,” “Prison Break” and “Heist.” I’ll continue being a television whore because I like feeling cheap.