Stop Watching TV and You'll Get Rich

As I reflected last week on why we as humans watch television, I started to wonder about why television exists. And the more I thought about this, the more I realized that the reasons we watch television are only important to those broadcasting television in that it helps them best achieve their goal.

Hang in there with me. I know this is deep for a Monday morning, but in less than two minutes you can get back to focusing on your cup of coffee and counting the crosshairs on your cubicle fabric.

So, as I theorized, and as many of you confirmed, we watch television to be entertained, or to zone out, or to relax, or to avoid life. But why does television exist? That's easy - there's one reason, and one reason alone:

To sell us stuff.

Now, if you're main purpose was to sell something on the television, what is the single most important element you would look for in the show during which your ad would air? Getting people not to look away. So the networks create engaging plot lines (although these are expensive to create, cast and execute), or throw a bunch of people together and let reality grab our attention (cheaper, but less predictable), or show things so strange and/or horrific and/or normally personal that the viewer cannot look away (1000 Ways to Die, Discovery Health, American Idol, Biggest Loser, etc).

It's interesting to me that at least three parents have responded to my blog and said they gave up television for a time - and all three of these parents also mentioned how their children were more content and asked for less stuff when they stopped watching television. It made me wonder how many of the things I purchased last year had to do with advertising.

Now I'm not sure if it's my family's recent decision to give up television, or the fact that we are on an ultra-tight writing budget, but I've noticed this year that it has been easier for me to recognize when I am wastefully spending money. Interesting. I hadn't thought of that until just now.

Now, there have been some recent developments which allow us to put up at least a feeble fight against the advertisers of the world, the main weapon being the DVR. Record your shows easily, and skip through the commercials. But the networks have not been far behind in figuring out how to promote their sponsors during the actual show. I'd be willing to bet that as more and more people begin using DVRs to watch television, we'll begin to see less of a defining line between the show we are watching and the advert trying to sell us something.

Anyway, just an interesting thought I had. And another reason to consider cutting back on the amount of television you watch - you'll get rich.

Tune in tomorrow for a post which is in complete contrast with today's - ways tv has helped humanity. Any guesses? (for those of you who have expressed disappointment at the difficulty of commenting on blogspot, I understand your pain - feel free to comment directly on my Facebook page).