“Consent of the Governed”: Now a Commodity Commodity—an article of commerce “According to an authoritative global study, Americans now watch television an average of 4 hours and 35 minutes every day”—An excerpt from Al Gore’s book “The Assault On Reason” contained in May 28 issue of TIME. We have traded our democratic inheritance for a few hours of vapid TV distraction. I am convinced that we have one avenue out of this terrible predicament into which we have fallen; we American adults must significantly improve our level of intellectual sophistication. This can easily be done in a most delightful way; we adults can take one hour a day that we now spend on a couch before a TV screen and utilize that time studying the books that will enlighten us as to who we are and why we do the things we do. Self-actualizing self-learning is a simple and powerful solution to a most dangerous and pressing situation. We have nothing to lose but our apathy and ignorance; and we have everything to gain, including our self-respect and the respect of generations to come.
How does watching TV produce the opposite of Locke's(it was Locke, right?) ideal or any sacrifice of 'democratic inheritance'? I can understand what you're saying about people needing to read more, but isn't it possible to read and watch TV. Also, I believe that video games are a possible future way of learning(as you can actually conceptualise what you're learning through experience + everyone likes video games), if they are designed right.
I agree Video games get a bad rap from some, but they are certainly better than the one-way boob toob for blowing time away.(this goes in with a good coberst post about humans being serious only at play). Frankly I think most of the plebs out there need that 5 hours of t.v to forget the wretched 8+ hours of mentalslavery or training to be a mental/physical slave for the corporation. If the direction and goals of the world were more adventurous(instead of pure dollar-chasing mercenary) people wouldn't need the make-believe versions on T.V and games.
What "terrible predicament"? But what if that's exactly what we want to do? Just because you think it's not right, billions of others seem to disagree. And isn't that a great form of "Consent of the Governed"? I just finished reading "Revenge of the Swamp Monster" ...it taught me a lot about enlightenment and what to do ...especially the next time I run into a swamp monster. Baron Max
