not many things make me mad any more. i have decided that anger and hate are emotions worth a little bit less than nothing. they have never done anything for me, never yielded positive or productive results. instead, i delight in uncovering things that seem pretty much like common sense to me, but are completely overlooked by others.
take this for example. the switch to digital television will likely be postponed until june. i keep asking myself: why is tv so important? why are they voting on whether to postpone the transition? why do they spend $1.34 billion on coupons for converter boxes? this is absolutely amazing to me. amusing even.
would there really be much harm in a few tvs going black on february 17th? would people survive? because it seems to me that this is some sort of urgent affair. only because it is. the television is the single best invention for keeping a populace in a euphoric state of apathy. and it works marvelously. when we watch it, we don’t have to think about our crappy existences. we don’t have to face the music of lives unfulfilled. when we watch it, we are complacent and entertained.
when i read these articles about digital tv transitions and postponements, i am not angry. how can i be? anger and fear and hate are what is expected of me as a consumer, a tv viewer, and an american. no, i am happy, because i can read between the lines.
oooh! a new lost is on tomorrow night.
Over the air broadcast is so important because it is the fastest and easiest way to broadcast urgent news if the situation should arise. Even if the cable and satellite communication fails people will be able to receive urgent information. Since the government regulates these airwaves they are also responsible for ensuring that everyone is able to continue to receive it. You dont have to wait to get the digital transmission. Theyre already broadcasting in it. Not everyone is ready to receive it yet. So theres no reason not to wait. No TV left behind.
its not worth prolonging the transition. people are afraid that low income and the elderly are not ready for the change but waiting another 4 months still won’t get everyone ready. we have already heard the message for what…1 or 2 years? 4 months won’t ensure that everyone will be ready. prolonging the transition is hurting tv stations and local networks because some stations did not budget for another 4 months of going analog and this is resulting in more unnecessary layoffs just to keep up maintenance on something that should be obsolete by now.
if the transition were to happen as scheduled the government and whoever else is involved will have to go on to the next plan and help those that cannot help themselves.
i’m still not convinced that tv is necessary enough to require all of this hubbub. so some poor people can’t watch tv on february 17, oh well. you think they’ll be ready in june? maybe time without tv would give them the opportunity to figure out how not to be poor. i’d like to see the government spend this much money on educating people how to use money and not be wasteful. tv is a luxury. it’s entertainment. but the way the government is going about this whole digital transition seems to suggest that the ability to watch it is somehow an inalienable right.