This
topic has two major elements- TV/addiction and family.
Let’s understand the addiction first.
It is a repetitive behaviour that people are unable
to stop or unwilling to stop their actions, despite its consequences. People
lose control over their actions. When people become addicted to something, the
brain begins to work against them. It hijacks the pleasure circuit of the brain
and put it into longing for more and more. The front of the brain known as the
‘prefrontal cortex’ that takes decisions, stops working properly. They can’t
make a decision to stop the addiction they have. They can be addicted to
anything e.g. drugs, gambling, sleeping, etc.
Of course, TV addiction too. You can notice addiction when someone spends too
much time on something or a particular thing and gives up a social life, family
life, professional life, etc. All these symptoms can be noticed in people who
have an addiction to TV as well. Hence, the desire to watch TV continuously can
easily confirm that the person has ‘addiction’.
Now, think about your childhood... were
you not addicted to TV?
I think... I was. I used to finish my school tasks before time, so I could
watch TV, especially movies and cricket.
Wait... I was actually addicted to movies. I still watch movies but not every
day. It took time to come out of this addiction. I had to study to pass my
board exams and I could not take care of my desire to watch TV or movies.
Let’s understand family and its joy.
Have you ever met joyful people?
They shine, don’t they? Do you know the reason behind their happiness or joy? …
Of course, it is their families.
Yes, sometimes the joy in the family seems out of reach due to many problems
such as financial worries, arguments among family members, fight for toys &
dolls between children, pressure on children’s study, etc. However, there is
always a possibility of joy in family excluding medically unfit conditions.
Now, the question is- how did TV come into our
family? Think about it…
We used to have an extended family consisting of parents, siblings, uncles,
aunts, cousins, and grandparents. Each one had different topics to discuss or
gossip. Elders shared their experience with youngers and youngers shared their
new learning to elders. We attended social gatherings together. We needed not
TV.
Now, we have shifted to a nuclear family consisting of parents and siblings
only. There are a few topics to discuss. All parents can’t share or discuss
everything with children. Similarly, all children hesitate to share everything
with parents. But, in an extended family, it was quite easy to do. Parents had
grandparents and siblings had cousins to talk to. In a nuclear family, we are
cut off from social gatherings too. Parents are unable to manage time for their
children.
Hence, we found a solution- TV, which
has shows for everyone, for all age groups. Children can watch shows related to
education, science, plants and animals, etc. Similarly, there are shows for
parents and grandparents as well.
Then, why are we
addicted to TV?
It arises from boredom. The moment we turn on the TV, we feel relaxed and cozy.
The result based on studies to monitor brain waves, skin resistance, and heart
rate of people watching TV, is astonishing. When they turn off their TV, the
relaxation and coziness disappear, but passiveness continues. They feel their
energy dry up and can’t concentrate as compared before.
TV was not purposely invented to fill the gap in our family. TV has different purposes,
but we didn’t even notice when it came and made its own space in our family.
The joy that used to be in gossips, chit-chats, playing different outdoor
games, and attending social gatherings, is now dependent on TV. Now, we watch
all these activities on TV instead of doing those activities.
Let’s
understand how TV is killing the joy.
Apart from the benefits of watching
TV, when it comes to relaying on it, it certainly affects you negatively.
1. It affects
your health. It makes you inactive that leads to obesity and heart diseases.
You don’t suffer alone. Your family suffers too. If you are not healthy, how
could you take part in a healthy discussion of your family or other activities?
2. Apart from
your health, TV ruins your perception as well. It feeds you false information.
It leads you to a wrong perception of your family members. You don’t accept
reality, but unfortunately, you accept whatever you see on the television.
3. It makes you
dumb. It hinders your ability to think. You can’t even think about your
family/members or careers. You won’t be aware of what is going in your family
and surrounding. Gradually, you are cut off from your family and you are all
alone.
4. You don’t
even notice how time passes while watching TV. It wastes your precious time.
The time that you could spend with your family or friends has now wasted due to
TV addiction.
5. For children,
watching TV without children’s guidelines can ruin their childhood. If they are
exposed by TV’s harmful situations such as sex and violence, they take it for
granted. They can’t distinguish this destructive aspect of TV. Your children
don’t fail only if you allow them to watch TV without guidelines, you as a
family fail.
Let’s understand how to re-cultivate the joy
of family.
1. It always starts with you. Your family members, especially
children do what they see, not what they are told. So, be a joyful person
first.
2. Put your pride aside. It
diminishes the sense of unity in the family. Practice to forgive and re-start
the journey.
3. Wear their shoes. Talk to them and
understand them. It fills the gap between two generations. Talking to the older
generation and the younger generation should not be a chore, it must be a joy.
There is much to learn from one another.
4. Make your family the most
important for you. Re-schedule your work or timings to spend time with your
family. Nothing can be as joyful as connecting and bonding with family members.
This is the easiest way of cultivating joy.
5. Keep external influences away.
Show them love and compassion. Practice bonding rituals. It can happen anytime,
while watching a movie, walking in the street, going to market/shopping. There
is something to take away from everyone.
6. Go outside with your family, play
with your friends, help others, explore your surroundings and neighbourhood.
7. Take rest when needed to avoid
stress. Life is not a destination, it is just a journey, so enjoy the journey.
Bring some silliness and encourage laughter.
8. It is rightly said that a hug is
two hearts wrapped in four arms. Do hug your loved ones, it releases oxytocin
and serotonin that help to bond and make you feel better.
Finally, think of some
alternatives, what you would do or your children would do
e.g. reading a book,
playing outdoor games, having an intelligent talk, etc.
Thank you!
4 Comments
Excellent!
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