Relative Something

Remember that post a few days back where I was envisioning how things would be if I ran the world? Well, I would see to it that there would be no need to brush and floss teeth. Nuisance. The whole hygiene thing is dreary annoyance. Talk about repetition over and over again.

And another thing: Why do we allow ourselves to view reality programming without constantly wondering about the elephant in their room with the camera pointed at them? Why is Bear Grylls’ “Man vs. Wild” show so compelling even though it is obvious there is a camera crew with him the whole time? How would your behavior be altered if someone were constantly recording your every move? I think I would suck in my gut more and try to sit up a little straighter. Don’t ever forget that what you are watching was recorded, most of the time by people with cameras, standing next to the subjects trying to pretend they are not part of what is going on.

Do you know anyone who says they have to watch the television news? It is not true. They don’t have to. You don’t have to. I grew up in a household that seemed like it always had WCCO radio on. I have memories of seeing the 6 and 10 o’clock news on WCCO channel 4 on television pretty regularly. I do know that if it was on, it was tuned to 830 AM or channel 4. I’m sure the orientation toward ‘CCO was a result of Mom and Dad personally knowing Dean Montgomery who was on the air. I first discovered there was an alternative viewpoint when I was across the road at the Fullerton’s house when they put the news on the television and it was KSTP. It seemed totally foreign to me, but somehow fitting for them. I was associating tv news programs with the people who chose to watch which one. I bet they preferred Pepsi to Coke, as well.

I remember the early days after moving out of my parent’s house and into my own and that we didn’t have a television right away and it felt very disconcerting to not be able to check the news. I felt lost. However, whenever I go on a vacation and am away from the daily news, it is not strange at all. I actually like it. More than once, I have returned home and made a conscious decision to continue to avoid the news even though I was back to my home routine.

Currently I’m on a pretty long run. Being free from the daily blah, blah, blah of their broadcasts is something that I find to be very refreshing. It’s a bit like still being on vacation, even though I’m home. I tend to peek at the newspaper at work and read news online now. When I really want to get away from it all, I don’t read any of it. It works wonderfully. I successfully get away from it all. And I survive! I recommend it. Better that than skipping your daily hygiene routine.