during campaign season we have the power to turn the tv off. scott erlandson @washamericom

let me talk to you for a minute about your tv. between now and election day you will be pounded with political tv commercials.

we have always heard “negative ads work.” it’s true, but it’s also true that if the television volume is on, it sets the tone for the room. a lot of times i pick up the remote angrily to mute or change the channel. i am sensitive to tv negativity with just regular ads, but election time is special. the ads are like a laserbeam to the brain.

what can we do about it ? you already have done something. by reading this, even if you have never thought it before, now you will be aware of the constant barrage of negativity that wears on your psyche. and if you have kids, it’s like second hand political smoke. tv can make you have bad thoughts, garbage in garbage out. i think that if you hear it enough, it effects you on multiple levels. if you doubt me, next time you are annoyed by some stupid campaign ad, hit the mute button, listen to the peaceful silence… see how you feel.

remember it’s all they have. if we turn off the tv and the uglyness, that’s a big chunk of what they have to work with. the other mediums don’t grab you the way the tv does. the internet is taking a lot of the attention away from the tv media. that’s why they are increasingly desperate in competing for your attention, and keeping it. more money is being spent then ever before. the tv is a big part of our lives. don’t forget your tv works for you, not the other way around.

we are not drones to be programed consciously or subliminally. it is their very nature of repitition and being mean that should insult us and drive us away, or at least to pick up the remote in a hurry.

i hope there is a new era of connection of people who watch, and the programers who gamble on effectiveness versus driving their customers away. if you went to your favorite deli and people were assaulting you with politicisms, you would leave.

let the tv people be on notice. you are losing us. the internet is avaiable to everyone now and we don’t have to put up with so much obnoxiousness. because of the interactive nature of the computer we can skip ads and move about freely.

i’m pretty sure that no cable station wants to lose customers because of their advertising. we’re more intelligent than that, we can change the channel and hit the mute button, most important of all is that we can just shut the damn thing off.

scott e  @washamericom