There was a time when every evening of my life, I would watch television. I would scan the Radio Times in order to ensure I didn’t miss anything I might be vaguely interested in. I know now that this actually added to the time I spent watching television. I stopped buying the Radio Times some years ago and now skim the schedules to see if there is anything I might definitely like. I’ve cut down my TV viewing a lot.
I know this when I talk with other folk and they talk about last night’s TV. Or when social networks are full of comments about this show or that. I could not live a better life without a TV in the house, but it doesn’t matter as much as it did.
It could be an age thing. As people get older, they start to watch more TV as they become more sedentary. After all, if you’re sedentary and you’re slowing down, what could be better than to have someone entertain you whilst you just sit there? Some shows, you can literally sit there and allow it to wash over you. Then you go to bed. Do this a few thousand more times and you will soon be dead. I long ago concluded I’d best do some other things before I died.
“Did you see the Michael Jackson documentary?” “There’s a new series of Game of Thrones soon. I’m working my way through the box sets at the moment.” “EastEnders was great last night. Four episodes a week just isn’t enough.” All right, I haven’t heard the last one. But millions must feel that way. Jesus Christ.”
I am beginning to wonder, no, conclude that watching lots of television is a waste of life. That massive telly box hanging on the wall, or sitting in the corner, is not just a part of people’s lives. It is their lives. Which is fair enough. It’s probably me, wondering if I will be on my death bed, thinking about my life and wondering why it was I just watched telly every night and didn’t do something else.
So now I am reading more than ever, I’m listening to more music than ever, I’m writing more than ever, I am working harder than ever to do more of what I want to do for the rest of my life rather than what I feel I need to do.
For too long, I was a prisoner of the television. Now I watch television when I really, really want to and I don’t allow it to wash over me. If I reach old age – and my genes suggest I won’t – I’ll be able to watch as much Homes Under the Hammer as I want. Until then, I aim to do something else.
