I am a very visual thinking person. Whenever I hear or read an expression my mind will immediately translate it to a stream of images. Hearing people say “When the shit hits the fan” brings up a big grin on my face as the expression is very vivid. I actually see it happen!
Another expression that makes me laugh is “Couch Potato”. This brings up images of people sitting on the couch, watching TV and eating potato chips, all night long. Sometimes I see Al Bundy, from the TV show “Married with Children”, sitting on his couch. This too is a very vivid image.
The expression Couch Potato not only makes me laugh, it reminds me of the state a lot of people are in: An unconscious state, not really awake. To me being a Couch Potato is the opposite of Conscious Living. Couch Potato’s spend a large part of their lives, if not all, unconsciously. They are zapping their lives away. TV is an escape from the real world. Couch Potato’s are hypnotized by it, it’s their drug.
Don’t get me wrong, I too watch TV but not all the time. The difference is that I choose what I want to see, where and when. If there is nothing of my interest, or something better to do. I will not turn my TV on. Watching TV is about someone else’s story, someone else’s life, not my own. Which life do you think is more important to me? Which one do I want to live?
Couch Potato’s come in different forms and shapes. Since the Internet we find them online as well: zapping from site to site. Are you one of them? Maybe it’s time to wake up.
For me Conscious Living means being the director of my own life: Living my life instead of life living me. Making conscious decisions what I want to do with my life, how I want to live my life. Set the right goals and then work towards accomplishing them. It also means living with passion, doing the things that make me, and others, happy. It’s about meeting inspiring people and never stop learning.
Conscious Living is about living live to the fullest and enjoying every moment of it: physical, mental and spiritual. Being a Couch Potato is not part of this way of life. So “Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying”.
Hi Patrick,
I agree with your sentiments on most people’s obsession of the TV. We must think as the TV as just a tool for entertainment and not a way of life.
Hopefully, like me you don’t just plonk your children in front of the box just to keep them quiet…well, maybe sometimes when I need the time and peace to blog (hahaha).
Jason
Hey Patrick,
This one put a smile on my face.
I remember dating a girl years back. Whenever we would eat with her family… like clockwork… we would all get in front of the TV and do nothing but sit there for 3 hours or more.
I do still enjoy watching from time to time… but I currently don’t have cable, so it is usually limited to DVDs.
I suppose my biggest gripe about TV watching is it is rarely intentionally educational… and when it is, it encourages no interaction whatsoever… just sit there and soak in what we have to say (along with advertising).
Now you’ll have to excuse me… my soaps are about to come on… 🙂
keep smiling,
Ben