Grumpiness increases mental capacity

[esoteric]

I saw this article today: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8339647.stm

I have somehow known for a long time that this was true. Clearly, both happiness and somber reflection are important. But with TV, music and entertainment to please us at every hour of the day it's almost mandated that we be happy all the time. It really does remind me of the social conditioning used in Brave New World - control of the populace by inflicting not pain, but pleasure. Luckily TV and pop music does nothing but piss me off but I suspect i'm in the minority. I just wonder if we will now finally get rid of antidepressants for sad people and introduce depressants for excessively happy ones.

[Forza Romana]

Do not worry, as tv and pop just push my buttons!

[Gefechtsgruppe10]

I saw this article today: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8339647.stm

I have somehow known for a long time that this was true. Clearly, both happiness and somber reflection are important. But with TV, music and entertainment to please us at every hour of the day it's almost mandated that we be happy all the time. It really does remind me of the social conditioning used in Brave New World - control of the populace by inflicting not pain, but pleasure. Luckily TV and pop music does nothing but piss me off but I suspect i'm in the minority. I just wonder if we will now finally get rid of antidepressants for sad people and introduce depressants for excessively happy ones.

Yes, we do seem to be a brave new world.  The "East" went 1984 style and the "West" Brave New World stye.  The East failed and seems to be trying to synthesize the two while we in the West keep flogging the same Aldus horse.

I talk to my 'smart' friends about why they watch tv or listen to the radio.  I ask them how they are not insulted by the programming?  Does not its sheer stupidity insult your intelligence?  Sometimes they sheepishly admit that it is incredibly stupid, but most of the time they try to pawn me off with 'we only watch documentaries.'  Everyone pulls that line, but its absolute fucking horseshit.  Try watching a documentary about a subject you know pretty well (or even not so well some of them are so bad...).  ALL the information they give is false or so utterly simplified as to be false. 

Don't own a tv myself, but when I see one I am always perplexed at the commercials...I really cannot understand how people can see them and be motivated to actually buy the products that they are selling.  As for commercial radio, that is even worse than television... although I do like the Michael Savage show now an again on AM if I am driving.

[Deacon]

Blatantly stupid TV commercials work on just about everyone (you and me included), because they build name brand recognition. Without some sort of research or previous experience, people will generally choose the name they recognize. Everyone is talking about it, so it must be good!

On a slightly different note,

It is *really* depressing how some intelligent people choose to degrade themselves with such base media. A (once) good friend of mine now spends disgusting amounts of time in front of the TV and won't be talked out of it. Like most people I've talked to, he views it as mere "background noise" - appropriate for "chilling" - or entertainment when there's "nothing better to do". But if you simply get up and go outside, there's always something better to do. TV destroys all meaningful social interaction by dominating the senses and castrating the intellect. It commands the room, penetrating your weak attempts to block out the noise and stare at the walls...

So, what do you think it is that leads otherwise smart people to do this to themselves? Lack of self respect? Fatalism? My friend tried to get me to watch some horseshit called "Tool Academy" with him. I explained politely that the show is too fucking stupid to be entertaining, and that the real tools are the not-people who watch it. He admits it's stupidity, but says that I take everything too seriously - you're supposed to laugh *at* the show!

I suspect that this behavior is, in essence, the surrender of his ideals and potential. Using the pretext of humor - especially if it elevates him above "the tools" - is a way of dodging the fact that he indulges in mind/soul raping diversion. Because it's easy pleasure.

Perhaps this looks like a very individualistic rant, but I see it as something of a case study. I want to figure out how to change these sort of (smart but spineless) people, because they have potential - which we would be fools to ignore. But I'm poor at rhetoric and skeptical of what "preaching" will do (alienate us), so thus far I have only casually inserted some ideas and gauged interest before going farther.

Suggestions?

[Duane]

I wouldn't abandon the friendship over his choice of leisure activity. One of the things I've gotten out of this place is a new perspective on adapting to the environment. Avoiding people is not adapting.  I'm sure the amount of potentially meaningful relationships Hessians would miss out on if they avoided everyone who wasted time would be staggering resulting in a lose-lose situation. Instead of harping on causes, symptoms, dualism (I'm right, he's wrong), you could set an example. Read Schopenhauer; plant a garden and enthusiastically describe the experience. Meet others with common interests and invite him to hang out with new friends. Sooner or later, he'll feel alienated by all the productivity around him. What could be worse than feeling alienated by active people? Certainly not feeling alienated by dull folks. 

[Gefechtsgruppe10]

Blatantly stupid TV commercials work on just about everyone (you and me included), because they build name brand recognition. Without some sort of research or previous experience, people will generally choose the name they recognize. Everyone is talking about it, so it must be good!

You are quite right.  Companies spend insane amounts of money on averts... they would not do so if they didn't have reliable research showing that it ends up recouping (and then some) the money spent on the adverts.  It is interesting to note Edward Bernays, the father of modern advertising,  also worked as a 'black' propagandist for the CIA.