Time to Unplug

Watching an ad for a particular political commentary show (won’t name it here) reminded me of how “in your face” our media has become. He or she who yells the loudest seems to get the most attention. Maybe this is due to the overwhelming amount of media we are all subject to. The internet, TV, magazines and so on compete for our attention. It seems like someone is always trying to tell us something and everyone thinks they have to be louder or more provocative than everyone else in order to be heard. Unfortunately, not only does this tactic seem to work, it only grows more intense over time.

However, I’m reminded that media only has the influence that we allow it to. As I watched this ad, I decided I would never watch the program it was advertising. I don’t want that tension, that loudness, in my home. My home is a peaceful place, and I would never allow people to come in and destroy that peace in person, so why allow it on TV? In fact, I think it would be useful to find more ways to bring peace into my life, and generally cutting down on media (especially aggressive or low-value media) is a strong first step.

Here’s to unplugging!