Experts say the typical American spends three hours on their phone and four hours watching Tv each day. Lets take a closer look. Throughout our viewing time, we’re hit with numerous commercials. Each roughly sixty seconds or less. Because they’re so brief, commercials cram in as much high impact visual and emotional content as the laws of physics allow. Where does that leave us today?

Television is now the hearth of cultural norms. American thoughts and emotions are swayed in its ambience. Even against our will we’re induced to react to suggestions in shows and ads whether with interest or confoundment. We find ourselves sparring with sensations we otherwise probably would not have experienced. It is done on a subliminal plane, which is defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary as ‘below the threshold of consciousness; specifically, involving or using stimuli intended to take effect subconsciously by repetition.’ In the end, the professionals have conditioned us to ultimately accept anything as reasonable no matter how fantastic. Whether intentional or not, the result of this is behavior modification. But of course, (and you can call me paranoid if you want), it is intentional.

Look closely. Any kind of activity is presented as most romantic or all-American. From exchanging saliva with dogs to deferring to risky pharmaceuticals for a host of ailments we may or may not succumb to one day. Meanwhile, how we perceive each other is also based on standardized media imagery.

Consider how shows and ads portray certain people as intellectually harmless subordinates and sidekicks wholly dependent on upper class altruism. The result is that below the surface of daily interactions the roots of misconception and racism have burrowed deeper. But if we believe the commercials, we’ll think those harmless people smiling so broadly are simply overjoyed at having been invited to eat with the poodle or the collie. And that’s just one part of a major deception.

No matter their background, everyone is driven by perceived social or emotional rewards dangled before them on screen. Usually, at the expense of others, as alluded to. We’re bombarded with a hodgepodge of moral ironies 24/7. Engineered by mass media our “values” makes hypocrites of all of us from the youngest to the oldest.

The origins of mass media, its governance, its reach and its future are outside the scope of this post. But in short, I’m a guy who thinks everyone should harness and champion their more genuine feelings and ideas. So long as they don’t have a noxious effect on the public. I don’t believe we need intervention from interests operating on cynicism, greed, and manipulation.

So, I’m all for a strict diet calling for more soundness of mind, realistic optimism, and psychological nourishment than screen time can deliver. Steadily decreasing our consumption of mass media is a good idea. The longer the Tv and phone are tuned out, the more time we free up for ourselves. We can do whatever we want with that time and there’s plenty to do. After all, time is all we have on earth. And everybody knows that time is limited.

Picture a fire at your home. You and your family escape without injury. The fire department extinguishes the blaze. But they tell you the place is no longer suitable for occupation. Still, you can briefly go back inside to claim anything important. Would you really come out of there with the Tv? I doubt it. It’s just not that important in the scheme of things.

So, what if we were stripped to the bare minimum of options? What should be important enough that we’d dedicate at least four hours to it every day? Screen time wouldn’t make the final cut. How to spend spare time more wisely is actually up to each of us to pick and choose. But undoubtedly, we have to make those choices.

Most Americans are aware of, or at least suspect most of what I’ve said so far. But it still seems like few are taking the necessary actions to ensure the reemergence of free thought. We have to start somewhere. Turn the Tv off. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Continue this until you feel yourself relaxing. Use your imagination now. Free your mind. Repeat the process each day. Harvest the benefits of a self-imposed media blackout. Boost your creativity. Steadily reclaim and improve your mental and emotional health.

Imagine a society peopled by genuine characters of sound mind. So many traditional ailments would not exist. Simply through our not having assimilated those selfish and divisive habits of mind manufactured by the media. While this doesn’t amount to a critique of capitalism, it can appear to be. Because if we did our own thinking, we probably wouldn’t shop as much. So, at the very least, step away from the Tv and the phone and save a few bucks.

If we don’t reclaim occupancy of our own minds, we can look forward to a consumption-heavy, sedentary lifestyle. As well as loss of sleep, mounting anxiety, and neck, shoulder and back pain for starters. We’ll have pudding for brains. All due to excessive screen time.

But on the brighter side, I see us freeing our minds from the distractions of digital media. Compared with the very best technology available, the mind remains the greatest force and mystery ever encountered. Let’s stimulate its powers on our own. We don’t need a mediator. At least that’s my take on it.

If you sometimes feel like a stranger to your own mind, you can always call the Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787. Or call 988.