A much better use for a TV set. From photo by Sindy Sussengut on Unsplash.
A while back, The New York Times ran an article by Amanda Hess: “How I Aged Into the Bad Christmas Movie.”
The premise? She used to avoid those formulaic, fluffy holiday films. But now? She watches them often with more tolerance.
What really stuck with me—and not in a good way—was this line:
“Recently I have felt so pummeled by stress and responsibility that I have found it difficult to turn on a compelling new television show at the end of the day. I have no extra energy to expend familiarizing myself with unknown characters, deciphering twists or even absorbing scenes of visual interest.”
When Did Escaping Mean Shutting Down?
The article struck a chord with many readers. One commenter even said she felt the same way—overwhelmed, overstimulated, and just too tired to do anything but watch feel-good fluff.
But I couldn’t help wondering: Whatever happened to picking up a book?
When I need to escape, I turn to murder mysteries. Others might reach for sci-fi, fantasy, romance, or even westerns. Books still offer immersion, escape, and entertainment. But even the fluffiest book forces your mind to engage. You imagine what the scenes look like. You can’t help thinking.
And therein lies the problem.
We’re Not Resting—We’re Numbing
We’ve gotten used to not thinking. We’ve replaced quiet contemplation with constant passive consumption.
Airports blare CNN. Doctor’s offices push daytime TV. Even waiting rooms feel more like mini-Times Squares than places to catch your breath.
I’m. especially puzzled by medical offices. You’d think they’d want you calm before checking your blood pressure. But no—you’re bombarded with noise, ads, and outdated health advice. I’ve even started refusing to let them take my blood pressure if there’ a TV in the waiting room. I suspect a lot of false diagnoses of “hgh blood pressure” arise from forced exposure to daytime TV.
Most people don’t speak up. They don’t want to seem weird. But maybe weird is what we need.
Silence Is Not a Luxury
Everywhere I go, there’s loud, dance-y music blaring. Even when I’m not watching anything, the background music affects my attention, mood, and mind.
Amanda Hess’s article feels like a self-soothing essay. She’s trying to convince herself (and us) that zoning out to background romance plots is a positive response to stress.
To be honest, I don’t care what anyone does in the privacy of their own home.
But I do care that passive screen time has become our default response to boredom, waiting, fatigue—even emotional discomfort.
We’ve lost the art of being alone with our thoughts.
Not Alone in Craving Quiet
Why do you think the Quiet Car on Amtrak fills up first?
It’s not just an “age” thing. It’s a noise thing. A thinking thing. A craving for stillness that our culture keeps drowning out.
Maybe it’s time we stopped apologizing for wanting a little silence—and started protecting it.
