Entertainment is killing your life span
In our “live and let live” society, it’s becoming more shunned upon to give your opinion on what best for people. Yet, a mental health epidemic and over 60% divorce rate and motivational speakers becoming the norm tells us otherwise. It tells us that we have a substance abuse problem. Proof that entertainment is killing our life span.
Not with uncontrollable substances but doing activities that offer content to the world. Hence how you choose to spend your leisure time says a lot about you.
“To learn who rules over you, find out who you are not allowed to criticize “
Kevin alfred strom
A live and let live society sounds beautiful and politically correct. Historically corrupted communities will use this statement as a mantra. The reality is, to live and let live is about as close as you can come to a lawless society without a real revolution occurring.
While certain advancements in technology help us, it’s also making us instant gratification addicts. Overcrowded is the path of least resistance. We are priming our brains to defy hard work and success. So many issues to advocate on, yet so many more ways distract us from defending against them. How you spend your leisure time indeed shows your level of dedication.
Leisure time becomes toxic
theodore adorno-sociologist
The average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes per day on their phones. That’s over 1,100 hours per year; for more than six decades, that’s over 74,000 hours. Being entertained by sports and other unhealthy addictions take up time as well. More ends up being less. Also not included is the usage of reality t.v. Shows. How could another life be more entertaining than your own.?
8.4 years of our life is lost to being on our phones, almost a decade. We can’t get back our time and energy we give to things that serve no purpose. Yet we don’t see how entertainment is killing our lifespan.
Twenty-five years ago if you missed a t.v. Show you had to wait till the next week to watch it. Because of Youtube and Netflix, there are overload choices. A 2016 study revealed that Netflix users spend, on average of 60-90 seconds browsing movies before they quit. That isn’t even the length of a trailer.
“A philosophy of technology use is needed, rooted in your deep values. What tech tools you need, how to use them, and ignore everything else.”
Carl Newport- Author of digital minimalism
The only real purpose of technology is to provide leverage in your life. Focusing on the leisure and entertainment aspects defeats its true potential. But why do we need to be entertained so severely? Why is our leisure time so important yet we devalue it?
Are white supremacy and the system our biggest enemy? Or is the biggest enemy ourselves, and how we misuse our time?
The mental health effects of social media should convince you that entertainment is killing your life span. If that isn’t enough, think about everything that you could be advocating for that instead you don’t. Rather than go inside yourself to see how you can provide value to the world we entertain ourselves.
For instance, what if the millions of people who viewed a cop killing actually put their minds together to do something. The irony is the joy you get from providing value to the world, entertainment can’t duplicate.
The mass consumption of similar forms of entertainment disrupts our individuality and values. Television was an issue before social media and the internet; these problems aren’t new.
“”What is more surprising is that the sense of relaxation ends when the set is turned off, but the feelings of passivity and lowered alertness continue. Survey participants commonly reflect that television has somehow absorbed or sucked out their energy, leaving them depleted. They say they have more difficulty concentrating after viewing than before. In contrast, they rarely indicate such difficulty after reading. After playing sports or engaging in hobbies, people report improvements in mood. After watching TV, people’s moods are about the same or worse than before.”
Findings: Men Need More Entertainment & The More You Think , The Less You Need to Be Entertained
“Males scored higher on the amount they spend on entertainment, the daily need for entertainment and the inability to function without entertainment. One would assume that the “couch potato curve” would skew to the male side of the demographic split.”
In conclusion, our leisure time based on the study above is the only time we’re able to think. Our leisure time is just as if not more important than our time at work, family, and friends. Our sanity depends on it. How much are we holding back our progress by being entertained instead of thinking? Think about it.Â
How do you leverage your phone/social media? Let us know in the comment section below.