Attribution: Infopablo00, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
By Bill Stokes
Kickass, the doorstop dog, is working with the keeper and Phyllis to determine the effects of their recent five-day runaway that included NO television watching.
The question goes beyond simple survival in the absence of a huge blaring screen, and gets more specific, asking can two human beings spend almost a week in the same room with a big TV set and not go to the trouble of figuring out how to turn the damn thing on?
The answer turns out to be “yes,” and certain fallout evolved: the keeper developed a TV attitude whereby he would talk to the darkened TV set instead of a lighted TV set talking to him. He would say things like, “You are nothing but a plastic box full of electronics and I am sick to death of how you dominate my life with trashy stuff about trashy people.”
The lake cabin TV set pouted in silence, as the keeper and Phyllis relaxed, read and talked to each other.
Now back in their Vista West digs, they find it easier to avoid MSNBC/PBS overdosing by turning off the TV and telling it that it will henceforth be treated more like the toaster–on an “as needed” basis.
Photo by Bill Stokes