Foxtel Self-Sufficiency Mentality.
March 4th 2009 09:37
Self-sufficiency has become really popular nowadays. If you speak to people they’ll talk about how they want to run away from the hubbub and rat-race that modern life is, and live self sufficiently. They’ll talk about how much TV annoys them, then go on to list the ten must-see programs they watch each week, and how upset they get when the TV has nothing but shit programs on. Which they watch, incidentally. These people will often say things like, ‘I’m bored.’ What they’re really saying is, ‘Can someone entertain me because I forgot to exercise my mind and need someone to do it for me.’
If you have a really good look into your own soul you’ll see just how selfish you are. And we’re all tarred with the same brush. But humans prefer to think they’re a bit superior to their fellow humans. And that’s the value of TV. It’s a way of avoiding looking into your own soul and seeing just how corrupt it is. Why talk about how stuffed your life is, when you can regurgitate celebrity gossip? Modern people are seriously stuffed in the head. And, that’s why they read stuff in the toilet. It takes their mind off the fact that they do smelly poos out of their botties just like everyone else, and sometimes you have to use shitloads of toilet paper to clean up your crack. Regardless of what income you earn or what your suburb postcode is, or what car you drive, or what designer wear you wear or what makeup you use to disguise your real appearance, you still shit like the poor.
I grew up in a telly family. A TV family. As soon as television hit Australia, we had to have one. And because dad owned an electrical shop, we got one.
Have you ever noticed how one of the first things people do when they inspect a house is check out where the TV point is? Then they design the whole interior around the TV. (Well, okay, nowadays it’s the net cable). Yuppies go into the bedroom, and don’t think about where the bed should go. They think about where the TV and PC should go and the bed has to fit into this plan. A bedroom is for copulating and sleeping, but Yuppies are more concerned about where the cable is. Tossers. The lot of them.
The kitchen used to be a place where you ate your family meal and spoke to each other about your lives. Not any more. Now, everyone goes to their own room and watches their own TV or gets on their own net. The Simpsons is spot on. It’s not just a parody of US family life. It’s an accurate representation of modern western lack-of-family life. The reason people live lives of quiet desperation is because they don’t know how to communicate with other human beings face-to-face. It’s too much reality for them to handle. They’d rather text them with things like, ‘Your father died. I’m sorry for your loss.’ And then refuse to respond to the return message, ‘Wtf?”. After you’ve tried to contact them by phone and got the answering service which has some downloaded music on it. What a bunch of tossers modern people are.
My favourite program as a child was Play School. When you grow up in a country town you only get two channels: The ABC and another local one which is a hotchpotch mixture of all the other free-to-air channels. The ABC was the go in my day. I should apologise to Mr Squiggle and Miss Pat and Bill the Steamshovel, and Bill & Ben and Weeeeeeeeeeeeed! because they came a close second.
But Play School was the iconic Aussie TV show for kids whose parents neglected them. I don’t think I ever paid much attention to the actual program itself. It was the opening jingle that used to preoccupy my infantile mind … “There’s a bear in there … and a chair as well … people with games … and stories to tell … open wide … come inside … It’s PLAY SCHOOL!”
It’s nice as a serial killer to reminisce about a few moments of your life where innocent reigned.
Signed Kevin.
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Comment by Teresa Ralton
MRS SMITH
READ THIS
SISTERS IN CRIME
Kevin, I love television. Even though, most of the time, I prefer doing other things - sometimes all I want to do is watch tv. But I know what you mean about centre-ing everything in your home around the blessed tv set. And leaving the tv on to keep the empty room company! I hate that. I knew a couple who made a conscious decision to not have a tv in their home and when they came to my house, if the tv was on, they looked like they were hypnotised - they couldn't take their eyes off the screen. Whereas I was able to carry on a conversation very easily. I think that's something like the parents who ban all sugar from their kids' diets. The kids go crazy for it when they grow up and become overweight teenagers. I could go on.
But you're right people should stop relying on tv so much.
Kevin, even though you are a serial killetr I'm sure you're a very nice serial killer. Can you do me a favour? Can you pass a message on to David? Can you tell him that I accidentally put my email address on a comment on his last post. Tell him I'm sorry to keep doing this. I'm annoying myself now. I am having to laugh because it is embarrassing. Ask David can he please delete that comment. I won't do it again. Thanks Kevin. I'm sure you're a lovely serial killer. There's a tv show about a serial killer that I like. Dexter. The serial killer killing serial killer. Dexter is strange but very nice in his own way. He has his own moral code. Kevin, I'm sure you're just as nice as Dexter. Please remember to pass my message on to David.
Comment by Damo
How true that line is?
I get a distinct feeling of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment here. How many people would be able to think for them self if Nietzsche did not tell them what to think?
Great stuff all they way through. I like Kevin already.
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
I was too young to know about it but they had the first TV in the street and neighbours sat on cushions to watch it.
Having said that, my parents were quite disciplined about watching TV and never allowed us to watch it through the daytime - maybe late in the afternoon - but that was all.
Television has its place like everything but what I cannot stand is people watching it all day long......get out and see things!
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Virtus in media stans. Virtue lies in the middle ground. Or, Moderation in all things. There's no point getting rid of the TV if you're going to crave it and have withdrawal symptoms, then gorge on it. You may as well turn bulimic or anorexic. Or get your stomach stapled instead of eating sensibly and exercising.
I like your ADD/ADHD sugar analogy.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
My mind is usually drawn to Nirvana's 90's youth anthem, Teen Spirit, when the subject of boredom arises: "Here we are now. Entertain us."
It's all a bit ironic. Cobain gets everything in life most people crave: fame and fortune. Then decides life isn't worth living. There's probably a message in there somewhere.
The real issue is, What is an informed conscience? But that would be a post in itself. I prefer writing Kevin's memoirs. I'm sure he'll touch on the subject [at length] at some stage.
As for Neitzsche and all the modern philosophers like Kant, Jung, de Chardin, etc, Bishop Williamson is the man to speak to. I asked him a question about Kant one day at the beginning of a history lecture. He spoke for 45mins. He's cheaper than the Encyclopedia Britannica online.
This whole business of informed/uninformed consciences boils down to: How can you detect error if you don't know the truth? And, A 99% truth is more dangerous than an outright lie. [L Ron Hubbard had a handle on the latter]. It explains why there's so many "Christian" denominations. 20-99% truth, most of them. I guess they're supplying people with what they want. Providing a service to the neo-Pagan community.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
I have to agree.
I've always viewed TV as an indifferent object. It's neither evil nor good. But can be used for good or evil.
On Sept 8, 1957, Pope Pius XII released his encyclical on Television (Miranda Prorsus). The encyclicals of pre 60s popes are good reads, albeit they're overlooked by most people.
His basic message is not much different to your parents' message: Be vigilant and disciplined with it.
It's interesting what you wrote. My real father (not Kevin's fictitious father) was an electrician and did own an electrical shop when TV first came out in Australia. I have similar memories to you. We had the whole town in the long room watching John Martin's Christmas Pageant in B&W with one of those blue screens over the TV.
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Comment by Damo
"God bless television
Keep the programming Pure..."
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Comment by Teresa Ralton
MRS SMITH
READ THIS
SISTERS IN CRIME
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I am not really against TV and agree with the inanimate object crowd here, however, I am offended by TV commercials, American TV shows, Reality TV shows, Game Shows, Media Propaganda Shows masquerading as News and Current Affairs, TV Evangelism, Talk(ing Head) Shows, Celebrity Gossip Shows, Movie Review (*gag*) shows. I do not enjoy cheapened Sex shows in the city, on a park bench, in desperate housewives closets, on the beach at Summer bay, or in the back of the car on Ramsey Street. *yawn* or the fear mongering on the streets of murder and mayhem from Surfers to Miami and all the psychic worlds in between.
Sio, plenty to watch, ..um.. David Attenborough, and some comedy, not to mention the comedy of errors in parliament every now and then.
Needless to say, when it comes to TV land *middle ground* you will find me dead
boredcentre.Going to write a post on conversation ..
Lilla ..
PS I REALLY enjoyed this read.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Who or what is Noni?
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
I have a Rituale Romanum somehwere with a list of all the blessings for various items. I used to get my house & car & tools of trade blessed. I don't think there's a blessing in there for TVs.
I even know of certain priests who refuse to bless a house if it has a television.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Apart from resting a slab of VB on top of a TV, that's the best thing I've seen on television for ages.
It is doing my head in a bit though.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
I don't know those programs. The cricket on Channel 9 and the AFL on Channels 9,7, & 10 are great shows. All Americans should watch them.
We had an Australian in the Superbowl this year. Ben Graham. He used to play Aussie Rules for Geelong in Victoria. He was one of the few blokes who could kick a football over the top of the wheat silos. Now there's some amazing trivia for you.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Glad you enjoyed the read. I do enjoy writing from Kevin's head. He can say anything and everything, and none of it can be attributed to me. It all goes under the banner of fiction.
I'm not really anti-television. I'm anti excess-television-viewing, and letting children watch television rather than form their consciences first.
I went to the local Salvos yesterday and bought a TV. (It cost all of $25. Works perfectly).To watch the AFL. But I forgot I was in Qld and they don't have it on until after midnight. So it looks like I'll have to buy a VCR and tape it. Last time I had a VCR, I used to tape certain shows, and never watch them.
I like the scene in Silence of the Lambs where Lecter tells Clarice that Dr Chilton plays US Evangelist shows on full volume to torment him. You don't even have to turn the volume up.
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
I never got past the opening credits and jingle ...