Silence is golden, and not offensive

I was going about my business this morning, folding laundry, tidying, cleaning up the kitchen. All the while the TV was chatting away in the background. Every now and then, the TV caught my attention, and it made me wonder how some people get through day after day at home.

I don't mean that it caught my attention so much I had to stop, and it was stopping me from doing my duties. Although, this has been known to happen when Oprah is showing a good episode.

The TV caught my attention in a way that made me shake my head. First was the news with stories of home fires, burglaries, and a soldier returning home from Afghanistan in a coffin. Good news stories are hard to come by. With so many people suffering from anxiety and depression, I wondered how the constant updates of news affects their outlook.

Next came the infomercials and the great offers of products that will change your world. As they reeled off one offer after another, I got the feeling that everyone out in the viewing land should be wanting more or better than what they currently had. Surely this is not so? There must be a good percentage of people that are happy with their current situation? Yet these infomercials promised with the purchase of their product that life would be improved and easier.

My thoughts returned to those suffering from any form of Mental Disorder. How many people would fall for these gimmicks with the hope that life would improve? How many people jump on the phone to order, fulfilling their retail therapy hit for the day? How many people watch these ads and feel so much worse about themselves or their current situation?

Mixed with all of this are those lovely ads of smiling people talking about Life Insurance. They offer words like "peace of mind", but I find these ads talking of death of loved ones very depressing. Sure it's great to be organised, and it does make sense to deal with these expenses so that others are not dealing with it. Honestly, though I don't need them in my face all the time, and I'm sure there are plenty of others who feel the same way.

Some people moan about having cartoons and children's shows on their TV all day, but at least these show happy characters, bright colours and songs, and life-lessons on being a good person.

I will be turning the TV off in the future. I would rather have silence in the house than listen to someone over my shoulder telling me that I am not good enough, that I need something to make my life better, or that I should organise my finances now before I fall off my perch.

How do the ads make you feel?  Do they make you doubt your life?