Re: Television Addiction

[ashockley55]

Hey toofat,

Much like with any other symptom of ADD, I think it’s a fairly easy thing to say that “millions” of (presumably other, non-ADD) people suffer from an addiction to television, thus discount ADD as a factor in that addiction in favor of other, more universally experienced dynamics. It is true that many people that don’t have ADD are addicted to television, and are subject to the marketing tactics it thrives on.

But I do want to ask that the idea that ADD may be contributing to, or in some way, or at some level, for some people, causing a frustrating behavior that is robbing them of productivity, of self-esteem, of happiness not be scoffed at and/or dismissed. Maybe that’s not what you were doing, and honestly, maybe it’s more the tone of the post rather than the content that has rubbed me the wrong way, but in any case…

Do television producers and consumer researches and marketers bank their jobs on their ability to draw in and keep viewers and consumers? Sure. Is it incidious? Absolutely. Are they solely responsible for our addiction to their products? No.

No more so than ADD is solely responsible for my/any person’s addiction to television. I’m sorry if that’s what I implied.

We all come to the television (or sugar, or cocaine, or alcohol, or Any and All Other Products) primed with our own set of issues that make us susceptible to becoming addicted to consuming them.

I think that ADD could be one of those issues.

Honestly, I’m hoping that ADD could be a cause, because otherwise I spiral into that “I’m lazy. I have no willpower. I may have talent, but obviously I don’t have enough passion or drive or dedication to make my dreams a reality. I suck. Why do I keep channel surfing my life away? Why don’t the motivational speeches and life changing, enlightening information about what I should be chosing to do with my life instead of watching tv and shopping work on me? Why do I keep sitting down in front of this television? Because I suck! I suck! I suck! I’m awful!”

I’m actually completely aware that watching television is wasting my life. Also, I’m aware of the issues surrounding consumerism. I really, really am. It isn’t a lack of awareness or knowledge of how short and fragile and precious my life is, of how much happier and active and more fulfilled I would be without television, or even how manipulative and effective the marketing I am exposed to on television is, how it locks me in and keeps me going on a mindset of consumerism that I, in quiet, thoughtful moments (away from the television) detest. I know and tell myself these things over and over. I berate myself with it.

In fact, that negative self-talk is probably yet another factor in my television addiction. Self-sabatoge.

Knowing and telling myself that I’m wasting my time just doesn’t help. Knowing that any given new mascara is NOT going to make my lashes all that better doesn’t completely prevent me from lusting after a new eyelash-goo. See, I have that locked-in, can’t move, paralysis thing going that keeps me in front of the tv. Also, I have that frenzied, restless, anxious need to feel, experience, be perfect, consume that keeps me wanting and shopping. Very frustrating. I’ve heard those are all symptoms of ADD.

That’s why I came here, to share a frustration and hopefully get feedback from others who relate, who understand, who can say, “Yeah, I struggled with that too, but here’s some things I did that kinda helped” before launching into telling me how I’m wasting my life or offering an explanation of something about which I am already well-versed.

Again, maybe it was just the tone that rubbed me wrong, it came off as self-righteous, and maybe you can call me out on just wanting to be nicely patted on the hand and told “I know, it’s so hard” instead of having someone push me in the right direction. And I know it is impossible to know everyone who posts here, and what their prior knowledge on a topic like marketing tactics may or may not be, but I just wanted to say,

Yeah. I know. I know it’s designed to suck me in. I know about the millions of dollars and the marketing and the carefully manipulated scripts and segments and commercial breaks and commercials and product “reviews” on daytime talk shows, and political affiliations. Half the time I’m watching, I’m rolling my eyes. But still I watch.

Riddle me that, toofat.

Maybe I’m just weak. And lazy.

REPORT ABUSE