Societal Pressure

How much time do you spend watching TV? It seems to me that with the advent of I Pods and laptops we are never disconnected. I really sat down yesterday and shut down all the electronic distractions around me. I shut down my phone, computer, I pod amongst other things. Not surprisingly I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. It felt like a tremendous pressure was taken away. All I had was myself. That day I just took some time out for some serious introspection. I'd recommend it. I never realised how much I was influenced by the world around me. I have always thought myself to be quite an autonomous person. But I realised to my horror that I don't even really know who I am. I never give myself time to contemplate and make sense of everything. I feel as if society is unrelentingly bombarding me with absolute crap 24-7. I need a fucking break!

For me silence is generally only uncomfortable if I am not alone, and alone time in the quiet generally only sucks if I am lonely or bored.

One of the things I loved most in my youth was long walks in varied surroundings, such as through the city or the open country, two very different experiences in many respects, but both allowed for introspective analysis of myself and my surroundings in relation to eachother, and when adding such differing scenarios and backrounds, life becomes visible in all its varying glory, and indeed ugliness.

The pressures of life become relative, and balanced.

Gom, I don't know if you spent enough time or accessed the right surroundings, but if you have ever been camping in a secluded area actually away from city resources than you would probably know, to feel the weight and pressure that survival in that life would entail, but it balances many of the pressures of "modern" life in many respects.

But I most definitely agree that it is oh so nice to be able to slow down, decompress, ignore the world for a while, and to take a moment to clean up the mess left behind from everyday life, in your head.

I'm convinced that all of the electrical appliances in our life have quite a negative affect on our psyche. I have the same feeling you are describing whenever the power goes out. I think people who are at least somewhat aware of their own body can relate to this. It's very important to get away from it all sometimes and do something such as go camping, like Ironwood mentioned. I have observed a profound difference in meditating in my home and meditating in the wilderness.

I believe that it's the government's and big business' goal to control the minds of all the people who reside here.. subtly, this is accomplished through the media and materialistic things.

all the shows that are on, the news, and so on are created to implant a certain way people think. seemingly exciting tv series, reality shows, all meant to have you think the way they want you to think.

same crap on tv just in a different setting, because they don't want you to think differently or get new ideas... people in power like the the way they are now because they are living the big life having anything they want with all that money and power. what deranged sicko would want to give that up.. definitely not those ones, and they doing a good job at it too. people just eat it up and have no idea that they're on a leash. Timothy Leary explains how the media controls the mind in many of his own documentaries who was actually sentenced to 36 years in jail and had a 5million dollar bail because at his time, was the biggest influence on mental change and urging people to think for themselves. -supposedly for possession of half a joint ;D

just goes to show you how far they're willing to go to protect this jail with no walls we all live in.

I disagree that electronics itself makes the government control you but more the upkeep and purchase of the goods. When you buy electronics you watch them until you become dependent upon them. Once you become dependent upon them you must pay money to keep them going. For example the internet bill, phone bill, cable/satelite and not to mention actually paying for these electronics. You find yourself working more and the more you work the more taxes you have to pay. it sounds like one of those conspiract theories but to some extent true.

I find I'm on the computer lots but not so much tv. Mostly because I'll download movies and tv shows on to my computer so I can actually choose what I can watch. However when I eat I usually watch tv givin that it's hard to type or use your mouse while eating.

well, i personally don't find much time to watch tv or use the pc these days with three kids keeping me busy, especially at the moment cos they r on summer hols. But one thing IK do try and do every day, is wind down and meditate to calm myself of the daily stress of kids, kittens, mess and mayhem and the pressure of the evil money!

i find that the problem isn't so much dependency on electronics, it's a constant need to be entertained. maybe not entertained but distracted. i think a dependency on electronics is more of a symptom than a cause. when you're constantly distracting yourself with things like the TV and your PC's and whatnot. i find that it's easier for me to look into myself and at my life when i am listening to music or something along those lines. a lotta times when i need to contemplate something i'll pick a road and a cd and just drive down that road as far as it goes blasting music and thinking about things. for some reason focusing on something else like driving helps me clear my head and allows me to see past all the bullshit in our lives.

Distractions, amusements, pettiness, drama. These are the things around which we build our lives. However, this is not objectionable in and of itself, as some people think. It allows us to be what we are: social creatures. Here's something to think about though... Why is it that the US has the highest suicide rate out of any country and is also the world's superpower?

Lithuania had the highest suicide rate in 2005. The US is far behind the highest ranking countries.

"The average suicide rate in the U.S. is about 12 per 100,000"
"The average suicide rate in Lithuania is about 38.6 per 100,000"

Semantics Wyote. I have a problem with hyperbole because of my narcissistic personality. Anyhow, that wasn't the point of what I wrote. Let me rephrase it, just for you. The general population in the US sees itself as having a large problem with depression and suicide.

What I did was simply answer a direct question that you asked, which was by no means hyperbole.

Since you felt that the U.S. had the highest suicide rate, I was simply attempting to correct that fallacy. Since you have pointed out now that you feel that the general public has this same view, It would seem that I am also doing a good deed for all of America.

Too bad semantics got in the way. I really want to alleviate any societal pressures that I am able to. Rest easy America, you don't have to eat fly infested slop every day like some people do.