You're are probably asking yourself right now what drug is this? How can I keep my kids from using? Are my friends users if this menace is so pervasive? How can I keep this horrible drug out of my neighborhood and community? Who in his right mind would let his time and his senses get tied up EVERYDAY? What can we do to combat this invasion?
Well here is your answer and I don't think you're going to like it one bit. You are probably a user and don't even know it! The "DRUG" that I speak of is none other than your beloved Television. You know the appliance you have such an affinity for that you probably called it by its nickname (TV) before you could even recite the alphabet in kindergarten.
Now you're more than likely in denial about your habit and usage. Telling yourself it's not a drug or a substance, it's just my TV. Keep thinking like that and you're throwing your life away on crap. What percentage of things that you view are actually helpful and/or useful in your everyday life? If that percentage is small (which usually it is) then you must be forced to ask yourself why you spend so much of your finite time in this world watching things that add nothing to your intellect or quality of life. What's your reason?
People will cry about how it's just entertainment. Well, it is SUPPOSED to be entertainment but with overuse it is a sad ass way of life. If you need to waste time why not read or draw or converse or just plain think? Why not try and better yourself and challenge yourself intellectually more often? Have you ever rushed home to catch a show? Have you ever actually called somebody to tape something for you cause you forgot to set the VCR? Then maybe you should look at yourself and ask yourself if you use too much.
People will also try to equivalate it to other forms of recreation and entertainment. I have a defense for every other form of entertainment, but strangely very few for Television itself!
It's just like radio! No it's not, TV commands the eyes as well as the ears thus creating a tunnel vision, you can read and listen to the radio, ever try that while watching TV? How about driving a car? Or operating machinery? Well TV is certainly no worse than computers. Well obviously you're assuming that computing is merely for Web Browsing and Game playing (yes there are other uses for PCs). But let's give you the benefit of the doubt and say that these two things are all that computers are for. I still contend that when Web Surfing you are using your thought processes and you are definitely reading and comprehending, that alone puts it way ahead of television. The same goes for video games at their very lowest forms they at least exercise your reflexes and thought processes, while their higher more well done forms allow for all kinds of interactivity, creative problem solving (which so happens is a crucial skill for people who wish to excel in life, and an invaluable tool for everday life), as well as promoting literacy, and, along with browsing, encourage interaction with other players/browsers for social skill building (i.e., chatrooms, multiplayer, and multiple player capable games). Well what about Video Games (Nintendo Sega Sony) ? The same arguments for computer games above go for TV games also.
These are the first things that a hardcore user will attack. In reality this is no different than an alchoholic saying that drinking is no worse than all these other things that other people use.
Just do me a favor, no not kill your television, but just try this. Next time there is nothing on, instead of switching channels until you can find something you can stand why don't you turn the damned thing off and talk with somebody or read a book or ,hell why not, write something? Think about your television usage, and think about your life. There is a whole world out there for you to enjoy so why are you on looking at 13 to 56 inches of it in crappy 320 by 480 resolution?
Go out and live. That's what you're here for.