When I was young
I used to wonder about
the old folks
who had television on
all the time.
Why? Why do they
have t.v. on all the time?
Why do hospitals and doctors offices
have t.v. on all the time?
Come to think of it, why do buses now have t.v.?
Connection and control.
To calm and sedate
unless we are in a bar with a sporting event on television.
But even that is a form of soma.
It’s understandable wanting to feel
connected to what’s going on in
the world. It’s why I still participate
online, even though
the darker purpose of
social media is about
control.
Control the narratives
and you control
both mind and behavior.
And that’s the point.
If one really wants to know
what’s going on
what’s really going on
one cannot rely upon television,
cable news and other legacy media.
It’s all propaganda spun by
Megalomaniacal self-important taking heads
ejaculating opinions instead
of the actual news or facts and
I dunno, data.
There are peers
some older than myself
who continue to find comfort
in the noise of television.
Perhaps because they too grew up
with t.v. as the universal babysitter.
The American family focal point instead of
healthy dinner conversation.
I used to find comfort in the noise
of television,
using it as a tool for sleep
or a talisman against the depression and
piercing loneliness I was living.
2 years after
my first husband died
I became dirt poor as
the result of blowing through
a decent life insurance policy
in a feeble attempt to anesthetize
the cacophony known as grief.
Watching PBS cooking shows
gave me comfort as I sat alone
many nights and weekends
wishing I had enough ingredients
to pull off a batch of putanesca,
like the Frugal Gourmet.
Or to have the friendly banter
of Julia Child with Jaques Pepin
as they made some buttery
delight.
Some years ago when I still fell asleep
with the television on,
I woke up to the last half hour
of the movie 1984.
Which was followed by a
single unremarkable commercial
then right into the
opening of the 1960s show Green Acres.
I sat there stupefied.
Everything made sense.
Social media!
Data Breach!
Endless Wars!
Down is up
and up is down!
Blue is Red
and Red is Redder!
Green Acres 1984
We are there!
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