Daniel took the TV outside and smashed it in. Then we all got out the paints and started making the TV beautiful. What a great family project. I don't think I need to explain why we did it. Most of you already know how we feel about media and advertising. I believe we waste way too much time with it on. It's so tempting to plop down in front of it when you are tired from life. But why are we so tired? Why don't we have the energy to do the things we really want to do? Maybe if we weren't staying up late watching the tv we wouldn't be tired the next day:)
We won't be missing much since we didn't watch it much. But I think we (Daniel and I)feel a little relieved to have it out of the house. The girls haven't even really noticed. And I think it's a nice piece of art for the backyard!
"American children and adolescents spend 22 to 28 hours per week viewing television, more than any other activity except sleeping. By the age of 70 they will have spent 7 to 10 years of their lives watching TV."
-- The Kaiser Family Foundation
I don't want to get to be 70 years old and regret the 7-10 years I spent watching tv when I could have been spending time with the kids, developing friendships, playing outside, or reading good books.
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Here, here. Three cheers for a more active, useful, and enriched life.
Daniel
PS- The urge was old, but I received my inspiration most recently from Edward Abbey who shot his with his shotgun.
Daniel
wow.
i guess i saw it coming.
Yeah, yeah, how much did the writer's strike have to do with this? And now you will develop friendships with folks while you are watching The Office at their house! Just kidding. Kudos to you guys for such an act that will certainly have a positive impact on the girls. I can hear them now describing it to their friends in college. We feel that PBS is the only worthwhile TV station due to its lack of mainstream advertising and is what keeps us owning our 13 incher.
We miss you guys and need to talk to catch up soon. Hope the semester is beginning well for Daniel.
Love, Les and Jason
And my in-laws think I'M radical! Haha! It is beautiful!
Next I think you should dig a hole, bury it, dress everyone in all black and have a memorial service. Instead of shedding tears, blast some good music and dance! (Then post the video, of course.)
What a bold action! I am so impressed. It is one thing to turn off your tv, but it is a completely different level of activism to take it in the yard and give it an entirely new purpose! Yard art! That is fabulous.
If the best thing in my life wasn't watching films (very different in my mind than sitting down to surf TV channels), I'd smash mine too. You should read Four Arguments For the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander. It had a lot of influence on me. Love you guys!!
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