Monday, October 20, 2008

Television is a MindPhuck...Books are Erotica!

Greetings Fellow ghettoGEEKS,

I believe it is important we take time for pause and reflection...

Admist this intense political season, unstable economy, and imminent social change, I would like you all to consider READING. One of the BEST things we can do as a citizenry, especially in THESE times, is READ MORE. Please, do yourself and favor, and put forth a sincere effort to push past the digital images on television, computer, and cell phone....and rush to the nearest library or bookstore.

Books and periodicals, as "cold" media, require us to engage/participate/think in the process of relaying information. In fact, not only is cognitive exercise a prerequisite for obtaining information from literary mediums, but cerebral energy will also be used in considering what has been digested. Electronic media such as television and radio, being "hot" media, don't require as much cerebral engagement. The information is pre-packaged and delievered to be consumed by anyone and everyone equipped with visual and auditory function.

As I'm sure you may have already deduced, over time, the consistent use of "hot" media can lead to a lethargic populus...it may also suggest that this populus can be easily taken advantage of. We shouldn't find it hard to imagine the possiblity of a small hegemonic group of "power players" using media (images) to slowly disengage people from important economic and political matters, reduce the quality of schooling, propose and commit citizens to unjust wars, disproprtionately incarcerate citizens, create conditions of false criminality as well as inherited wealth, and a host of other abominations under the guise of effective American captialism. This shouldn't be hard to believe...in fact it should sound familiar.

We gotta go back to the library, People! We gotta READ. We gotta WRITE. Sure the fine, volumptous, stripper with a Southern-accent and remarkable smile looks good. She may even entertain you quite well for an evening. But what happens when the drink stops flowing and the morning arrives? You may realize you've been fucked...

Wouldn't you rather curl up to a nice fine, young specimen who has to remove her reading glasses before taking you to "higher heights?" You'll most likely have to provide more focus and energy at the outset, but by the end, you'll be at at entirely different place in real spiritual and pragmatic ways...and she might even cook breakfast in the morning.

I'll holla...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dr. D,
I think this is some profound shit. Many people don't even realize that they are subjects to brainwashing as they loaf away on their sofa not filtering out a damn thing that the media moguls are shoveling at them on high resolution. These completely passive roles can become infectious as low grade reality TV shows take over ones' existence. I am an avid reader, thank g-d.

_KK

Anonymous said...

Professor Durham,

Couldn't agree more, and this is comin from someone who enjoys quite a bit of television. With the election as intense as ever, and our economy crumbling around us, the world's depressing enough as it is. Kids growing up on some of the crap that's on tv will hurt them in the long run, cuz it will hurt their chances to learn and speak for themselves. While the visuals of the hot media can be fun, the intellect of books and rhetoric stimulates us as humans in a much more profound way. I'm as guilty as many when it comes to slacking with reading, but the feeling I get after finishing a book is so much more real than finishing a movie or tv show. Keep it up.
-Matt Mullen

Anonymous said...

Dr. Durham,

I also enjoy television a great deal, but lately I've come to agree with you completely. I got sick of watching the same stupid shows just to pass time and picked up a good book to read in the past few months instead, and I realized I don't dislike reading as much as I thought. There's a peace and thoughtfulness that comes with reading that you don't get with television. You could sit and stare at a TV for hours and barely take anything in at all. I agree with you, whether it's a book about history or a comedy or whatever, we've all got to start reading more and watching television less. Parents are always worried about young kids watching too much TV, but what about us watching too much TV now? It doesn't become OK to consume our time staring at a screen just because we're older. If anything, it's more damaging to our intellectual development. Anyway, I enjoyed this piece very much. Hope Texas is good and have a happy holidays Dr. Durham.

-Megan Heffernan