Question-Week ending Sunday 08/25/02:
On average, how many hours of television do you watch per day? Please read this weeks poll commentary before taking this poll.
Pre-Poll Commentary:
The commentary on this weeks poll will undoubtedly draw lots of controversy among our readers. Because so many people love their TV's, remote controls and comfortable couches. Most people like to "unwind" in front of their TV and think that it is relaxing, entertaining and a nice way to "pass" their time.
In my opinion, TV is very similar to cholesterol. Too much of it is very hazardous to your health and happiness. The negative, violent, distrustful and demeaning shows on TV (NVDD), of which there are too many, are like LDL Cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein). Instead of clogging your arteries, these NVDD shows clog your brain with negative thoughts. They waste your valuable time (your most precious asset in life) and stop you from doing so many productive and Happy Activities.
I will admit there are some TV shows that are worth watching. Shows that educate us, entertain us, or enlighten us to facts that are worthwhile and contribute to our well being and happiness. We'll call these the EEE shows and they are the equivalent to HDL Cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein). These shows will reduce the risks of clogging your brains with negative thoughts, but still consume your very precious time and should be limited to planned viewing.
Over the years, I sincerely believed that I have been able to achieve some serious goals because of my very limited TV watching. Many people have asked me where I find the time to do so many things and the answer has always been quite clear. I plan what I do and in my plan is very limited TV time.
Most of the TV networks, including cable TV channels only care about one thing. Keeping you glued in front of it so that you can watch their commercials every few minutes. Do you think they care if you are happy or not? They just want to have high ratings so that they could sell their advertising easier and for more money. In the meantime, you are giving up to them the most valuable asset in the world. YOUR PRECIOUS TIME that all the money and riches on earth cannot buy back.
This poll has been created so that you can honestly evaluate how much of your precious time you give up each day to TV. You can then begin to think about all the important activities that you "have no time for" and possibly substitute some TV time for those activities.
This will be a two week poll on TV and end on Sunday 8/25/02. Watch for the results and summary on Monday morning 8/26/02. Bring more happiness into your life by evaluating your TV time and making some changes to your activities.
Results:
- 40% reported watching 3 - 4 hrs/day
- 29% reported watching 1 - 2 hrs/day
- 20% reported watching 1 hr/day or less
- 08% reported watching 5 hrs/day
- 02% reported watching 6 hrs/day
- 01% reported watching 7 + hrs/day
Post-Poll Commentary:
From our results I would like to say thank goodness only 11% watch 5 hours or more of TV per day. That's 35 + hours a week or 1820 + hours per year. 5 hours a day also equals 60 + days a year. By now you can see how this TV pass-time can add up to a major part of your life.
Our top vote score was 3-4 hours of watching TV a day at 40%. We won't do the math for this choice like we did above. But I'm sure you will agree that it's too much time in front of the tube as well. So many other worthy goals can be accomplished by borrowing some of this TV time for other planned happy activities.
The choice of how you invest your time is always up to you. We just want to bring to your consciousness how you spend time, Keeping in mind that time is the most valuable asset you will ever possess. Time cannot be bought or replaced. You only get one chance at living each and every minute. Why not invest your time toward the worthiest goals you can accomplish?