It seems the government has allowed more commericals on TV and Radio these days. I've read that we can see as much as 54 minutes of commericals for each three hours of programming. Such turns a normal two-hour movie into three, constantly breaking our thought-train! Further seems that such distractions may reduce our ability to concentrate our thinking, focus our thoughts. Have we gone too far with advertising? Here's what Norman Mailer has to say about commericals:
http://archive.parade.com/2005/0123/0123_one_idea.html
Many believe constant interruptions influence both children's and adult's abilities to concentrate.
I believe, and this comes in part to my having served on Madison Avenue for some time in my youth, that this relates to the attention span of the adult .....
Posted by: Eric Steed | 20 February 2005 at 05:28 PM
Norman points mainly to what so many commericals are doing to our children and their attention span. Wonder what these folks will be like when they are fully physically grown.
Posted by: Frank Gaudé | 20 February 2005 at 05:44 PM
A correction of facts; from Andy Ronnie's TV program, 60 Minutes on CBS: the FCC allows 60 minutes of commericals for every three hours of programming. TV goes the way of the print media with their ads. It used to be, less than ten years ago, that the publishers permitted up to 50% of a page to be ads. But now in our local papers many pages are 90% to 100% ads.
Posted by: Frank Gaudé | 22 February 2005 at 08:54 AM
Tanzen, i find your comments interesting. I've been recently exploring how everything in this world effects us, so profoundly! My work with youth, most of whom come from isolated Indian Reservations, has given me a different perspective. Without exception the youth i work with from the reservations are gifted artists, and relate differently to people-- more open, more kind (and these are the kids who've been "in trouble"!). Most have lived a majority of their lives without electricity, without books, without the English language. It is such a gift to me to have a glimpse of their being-- so REAL! What do we, of the domiunant culture, teach our youth? How can we learn from others? -woodSong
Posted by: carol woodsong | 28 February 2005 at 01:34 PM
Influences are all around us. The old saying goes that we become what we resist. Now it is clear that the more tolerant we are of the ways of others the better our life will be. If one is unhappy in one's environment then one should do something about it. We all have choices, one way or the other. Like begets like, is another old saying. So move into a place, mental and physical, where influences are to the liking.
Posted by: Frank Gaudé | 28 February 2005 at 04:15 PM
"... where influences are to the liking."
Resist not. What happens when we stop resisting (influences, emotions, habits, etc.) and start seeing that which is really present?
Posted by: carol woodsong | 02 March 2005 at 01:13 PM
What happens? Heaven on earth, while still in the body.
Matthew 5:38 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." "Overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)", falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.
Rejection does not lead to compassion; compassion leads to compassion and rejection leads to rejection.
Posted by: Frank Gaudé | 02 March 2005 at 07:09 PM
"Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love."
Even when it comes to the inner struggle. "Resist not" has it's advantages!
Compassion leads to compassion, love to love, intimacy to truth...
Posted by: woodsong | 08 March 2005 at 10:09 AM
You got it, now let us live it.
Posted by: Frank Gaude' | 08 March 2005 at 03:35 PM