March 28, 2005
Since I haven’t had many good things to say about the program lately I though it was time to point out the benefits. Unlike everyone in the United States we do not have television, 24/7 phone service, radio, pop culture and consumerism. Many people ask "how do you do it?" That is my question exactly "how do you do it?"
TV, I used to watch it and now I can’t stand it, after being isolated and training myself to do different things like read and write, I can’t imagine ever having it again. The TV is always pushing, trying to tell me what I should be, should have, should eat, should watch, should buy, should do, SHOULD, SHOULD, SHOULD. Without TV my life feels very much like "I want", tonight I want to read, want to spend time with my friends, want to work on my house, want to dream. It is a powerful feeling saying I want rather than should and I highly recommend it.
Phone service, we have it but not all the time. We have a satellite window that is 11 hours 45 minutes but that period occurs mostly during our sleep cycle and when combined with the time difference it is nearly impossible to make a convenient call. Meaning we have to make an effort to contact our friends and when we do, they have our full undivided attention. For me in the real world it was a rare occasion that I could give anyone my full attention and now it is very seldom that I lose focus and I am usually ecstatic to be talking. As a result I have learned what my friends mean to me and how much happiness their attention can bring.
Pop culture, they say it takes the average person about 13 times of seeing something to start visualizing how that thing can fit into their lifestyle. Without TV, radio and magazines we never get to see something enough that it becomes imprinted on our psyche so we never feel the compulsion to fit in and pop culture never catches on. Too bad I really like hip hugger jeans.
Consumerism, the lack of things to buy is one of the great benefits of being here. If I need something I learn how to make it and as a result I know how to knit, work wood, cut glass, bend sheet metal and much more. I find it fun to make things and I especially like making gifts for my friends. I find the gifts mean so much more than anything bought in a store could.
In closing I would encourage everyone to do without for awhile. I find it helps me appreciate the little things like the feel of the sun, the smell of rain, the reunion with friends and family, the taste of an avocado, the joy of a good beer and most of all peace and quiet.
TV, I used to watch it and now I can’t stand it, after being isolated and training myself to do different things like read and write, I can’t imagine ever having it again. The TV is always pushing, trying to tell me what I should be, should have, should eat, should watch, should buy, should do, SHOULD, SHOULD, SHOULD. Without TV my life feels very much like "I want", tonight I want to read, want to spend time with my friends, want to work on my house, want to dream. It is a powerful feeling saying I want rather than should and I highly recommend it.
Phone service, we have it but not all the time. We have a satellite window that is 11 hours 45 minutes but that period occurs mostly during our sleep cycle and when combined with the time difference it is nearly impossible to make a convenient call. Meaning we have to make an effort to contact our friends and when we do, they have our full undivided attention. For me in the real world it was a rare occasion that I could give anyone my full attention and now it is very seldom that I lose focus and I am usually ecstatic to be talking. As a result I have learned what my friends mean to me and how much happiness their attention can bring.
Pop culture, they say it takes the average person about 13 times of seeing something to start visualizing how that thing can fit into their lifestyle. Without TV, radio and magazines we never get to see something enough that it becomes imprinted on our psyche so we never feel the compulsion to fit in and pop culture never catches on. Too bad I really like hip hugger jeans.
Consumerism, the lack of things to buy is one of the great benefits of being here. If I need something I learn how to make it and as a result I know how to knit, work wood, cut glass, bend sheet metal and much more. I find it fun to make things and I especially like making gifts for my friends. I find the gifts mean so much more than anything bought in a store could.
In closing I would encourage everyone to do without for awhile. I find it helps me appreciate the little things like the feel of the sun, the smell of rain, the reunion with friends and family, the taste of an avocado, the joy of a good beer and most of all peace and quiet.
posted by Kirk & Jodi Roberts at 9:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home