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Where Is the Hand Sanitizer for the Mind?

It is nice to see some pestilential germ-holes shut down. But it staggers the mind to think of millions and millions of people trapped in their houses, and consuming media all day.

How can it be mentally healthy to shovel that mind-rot, fear, and panic into people's heads, hours and hours per day?! People aren't used to seeing media consumption as a bacillus or virus -- but they should. In fact, media consumption is the ultimate form of contamination.

But it is one thing to condemn mass media; it is quite another thing to propose healthy alternatives. The easy answer is 'books.' But I don't have a high enough opinion of authors and the publishing industry to be a cheerleader for this option.

Listening to music is certainly a healthy pass-time.  But if you listen to too music, you become numb to it. It might help to accept background music as "real" music, and to renounce the expectation that you are supposed to be swept off your feet by gorgeous melody.

The last couple weeks I have busied myself with do-it-yourself projects, especially with a new-ish van as my new tow vehicle. The building centers and hardware stores are open, and they are busy! Lots of people have turned off the television and gotten busy with the household projects that they have wanted to do for a long time. 

Comments

I have not had television for five years now. It is wonderful. I replaced it with a bulletin board on the wall with my grandkids pictures on it. It was a fantastic change.
Anonymous said…
"But I don't have a high enough opinion of authors and the publishing industry to be a cheerleader for this option." You appear to read voraciously. Can you explain that comment?

Chris
Barney, OFM: congratulations for your lifestyle improvement.

Chris, I read for practical reasons, but I frequently ask, What for? Books are too wordy. Most of those words go in one eyeball, and out the other.