The power of the tube.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the power of television today. It has been interesting, because while I have been thinking about this, I have sat in a sermon mentioning the same things, and I have had conversations with family and friends.
To give you a little example, last weekend, I would watch the weatherman. He would say, "Sun, warm weather!". So, I would jump in the shower, shave, put on my best lotion, pull out my shorts and tank tops, and head on my way, freezing, nearly catching hypothermia. I did this several days in a row. Then, the weatherman said, "it is going to rain", so I walk inside, put on my warm winter clothes, go outside, and the sun miraculously makes it's appearance. I can see God looking at me, laughing.
I think these experiences help set the stage for what I am about to say. Our society is so very controlled by what we see on TV. We hear recession, and we start hording, we hear that chocolate is bad for you, so we cut it out of our diet, only one week later, a study comes out that it is actually good for you, so we go down to See's Candy and buy half the store. In politics, the news is portraying one as the leading person, so everyone just jumps on the bandwagon. When the sports teams that are doing good are in the spotlight, suddenly I see every other person wearing their jersey. The news says that the rest of the world hates Americans, so next thing you know, there are protests going on about how much our own people hate America.
It is as if for $35.99 a month (your cable bill), you can trade in your power to think and use common sense, for a brain dead life, where all of your strengths and fears are controlled.
It is interesting how television can time warp you into another world. You can sit there for hours, just staring off into the screen, while dishes are piling up, the grass is getting longer, dust is settling. Someone can come up to you and start talking, and you don't hear what they are saying (when Katelyn is watching cartoons, she can block out everything).
We watch TV and see someone with a nice outfit on, suddenly the outfit we have been so content with, is looking a little frumpy. We hear of someone breaking into someones house 100 miles away, and we run out and buy the latest security system. You are sitting there eating your grapes, then a ding dong commercial comes on and out the door you go, to the closest supermarket.
I just wonder what America would be like if we turned off our television and decided to go without it. Would the right politicians be elected, would we be healthier, would our relationships be stronger, would we be less fearful??? I would love it if we could see for ourselves.