For many of us, TV is how we first discover and get a taste of what the outside world is like.
A New World Through Technology
What we now called tube TVs were just TVs when I was growing up. There was color and it was always a square aspect ratio a.k.a. standard definition.
As technology advanced we got flat panel TVs and along came high definition. With each new breakthrough in TV technology the moving pictures we saw on the screen became closer to real life. This advancement in technology touched not just the device itself but also the camera and editing technology used to create the shows and movies we watched on it.
Within a decade we were seeing things beyond imagination projected on TVs. Things that superseded reality into a surrealism. Soon enough we could instantly see whatever we want whenever we want through Netflix and YouTube.
What it opened up to us was new worlds beyond the boundaries of our everyday lives. New perspectives and ideas.
The tv had become such an amazing dream device that it became a trap. It slowly begun the process in which we detach from real life. Not so far from the future where we will voluntarily strap our faces into a VR headset to escape reality. It’s an easy image to imagine because we’ve already succumbed to the addiction that glues our faces to screens.
The generation that will both grow up and die in front of the TV has arrived.
The stark realization is that no matter how convincing the images and how much you watch, you aren’t actually experiencing any of it. The shows you watch aren’t your life or memories. You never went to any of the places you saw on the screen. All of the epic storylines and news events had little to no impact on your life.
Everything you ever consumed through the tube was just like a dream. When you turn off the TV is when you wake up from your dream and create your own experiences and stories.
Going to actual places outside of your boundaries will widen your definition. The further and longer we continue to live outside of our bubble, the more we advance our technology to perceive the world. For new experiences are how you will remember and define your life.
Once we get a taste of real life experiences then it’s impossible to look back. When we went high definition then standard was really no longer a standard. The real world has an infinite number of experiences.
Life is Discovery
Understanding our discoveries forms perspective and when we reflect on this is what is our experience.
We often can clearly recall memories during K-12 years but rarely recall details during the years we begin working. Often, these are less defined because we’re making less discoveries each year. Living less and less each year.
To live more is simply seeking new discoveries. Discovering new places, cultures, ideas. This thirst for new experiences is why there are markets for zoos, theme parks, and even space tourism now.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of high definition but that’s just fool’s gold. Once the series ends and you unstrap from the dream device you may realize time keeps moving and life is too short to be contained to any screen or boundary.
