Everybody Stay Busy

   Today is one of those days that I am thankful for the media and the television. I have a media philosophy of reading versus watching or hearing it. I listen in on the radio a couple times a week to see if they will call me an idiot first thing in the morning, but other than that, no tv, no commercials. I do this for the fact that seeing and hearing can sometimes become more of a subconscious tool for conditioning, and less an active, engaging source of good information.
   I already know what medicines to take, so I never have to wonder if my symptoms match what is being advertised. They don't have commercials for juicing carrots, fresh spinach, or granola -the kind that is stuck together with honey instead of corn syrup. They do have wonderful ads for pizza and burgers. I want to binge when I see those.
   I will admit that I watch documenteries and Swamp People on Netflix; I don't mean to say that I am cut off from the currents of culture. I also utilize VUDU and Amazon's cloud services for movies that we want to watch; of course I watch, and have bought episodes of The Walking Dead. Who doesn't love zombies?
   My security of knowing what I believe is great enough to read news from either side of the socio-political spectrum. I know what to expect from the Huffington Post as much as I do the Drudge Report. The right side is admittedly unpalletable on a regular basis though, so I have to really want to garner something important from them, in between being called a degenerate moocher.
   The point is that everyone is busy with something, most of us are busy with the television, some are observing, some are crouched and ready to act, some are listening, and some are completely oblivious (*edit*: tv~oblivious, revised for clarity.) Some have been acting for years, building something.
   I have an agenda. I have my "good eye" on what I choose to pursue, and not what I am being pursued by. I don't need guns, nor am I afraid that I will not have the freedom to possess one in my lifetime. I believe in change that happens one on one, whether you are alone reading what I write, or sitting on my deck spilling your guts. I believe that love can enflame an addict into breaking the cycle. I believe that we can teach each other how to be human again, alone in our thoughts and bold with our words. I believe in legacy. I refuse to leave my children with a world that I ignored because I wanted to be entertained by people who just want my dollars. I will not repeat the mistakes that history has proven time and again to be failures.
   My recommendation for everyone is to stay busy listening to the squawking, fear leeching empty suits. It makes my job easier when everyone is distracted with something inane. If tv isn't your thing, then master the art of Facebook; you can actually learn the craft of getting attention from people you knew in another lifetime by simply creating the perfect status. It truly is good for confidence when you are the one that started a 40 comment thread.
   Some alternatives for tv or fb could be getting to know your wife/husband, or kids, or what kind of soil you have in your yard. Whatever you choose to input is what you will output, so think about your activities, inspect them so you will know your significance. Act on the things that anger you. Scratch and claw until it changes. We are free people.

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