Tuned In

One of life’s great conundrums, at least to me, is how we as a modern civilization have the collective attention span of a squirrel on speed but can binge-watch television shows for hours on end.

I blame the decline in our ability to pay attention to anything for very long on the electronification of our lives, what with computers and televisions and telephones and social media all demanding that we look and listen and follow and respond all the time. Heck, most people can’t even go out to a restaurant for a nice romantic dinner without setting their phones on the table because, you know, something might be more diverting on that device than what’s happening in life as it’s lived around them.

I, too, am not immune to this trend as my attention span has dwindled dramatically over the years, so I am astounded that so many people can sit still for so long to watch not just television but the same show on and on, episode after episode, season after season.

And, yes, I realize my critique of popular TV viewing habits puts me at odds with almost all of you, dear readers, and that in your eyes I am a culturally deprived buffoon, a criticism borne out by the laughable ignorance I have with popular culture clues while doing the New York Times crossword puzzle (“Receptionist on The Office?” No idea. “Bartender on The Simpsons?” I got nothing). And I have no defense against your rebuttal that you would rather watch paint dry than sit through some of the sporting events that I regularly view.

Howsomever, I stand by my assertion that watching 14 hours of Orange is the New Black without even getting up from the couch to go pee is not something to be proud of.

But even if it is, I think we should all stop for a moment – or hit the pause button, as the case may be – and consider the larger picture, and I don’t mean the one on your TV as opposed to the one on your phone. Fewer people are reading books, claiming they “don’t have the time.” Fewer people are paying attention to world affairs, saying “it’s too boring.” Fewer people are talking to each other, even on the phone, because texting is easier and, of course, it saves time.

And we all know what you’re saving all that time to do, don’t we?

I’m not saying you should turn off your TV; I like television and having grown up with naught but three channels (four if you count public TV, which you don’t when you’re a kid) one of the happiest days of my life was when I got satellite TV with its wasteland of viewing so vast it boggles the mind. But I think life is better with a balance, so perhaps tonight you might think about reading a book for a while or listening to music for a bit or, here’s a thought: Sit and talk with the other person in the room with you.

That’s what I’m going to do. Definitely. A bit of in-depth conversation with the wife. Some personal one-on-one time.

Right after I watch that soccer game I recorded.