Bourne Lazy

The eyes are windows to the soul. Television funnels all the evils of the world through these windows, infecting our minds. The rapidly changing picture presents a different world, in which we can live our wildest dreams. The public is drawn to action films such as The Bourne Identity through a frustrated desire for excitement. The effect of watching television is increased laziness, causing a downward spiral that ends in catatonia.

The effects of television on brain function have been studied. The results show that people watching television are in a passive state, with reduced energy and lack of logical thought (Westphal). These effects are not limited to the time spent viewing, but linger afterwards as well. Entering a vegetative state for hours a day would seem wasteful to some, but many people do it anyway. Recent reports suggest that the average person is vegetating for 151 hours each month (Gandossy, 2009).

The television allows us to see places we would never see. It allows our minds to stand by and watch things happen, without having to analyze anything. The relaxation associated with television is somewhat similar to daydreaming, but without the thought required. This leads people to daydream away their lives, imagining themselves as the next Jason Bourne. The fast pace of many action films prevents boredom from ever entering the picture, while removing the possibility of viewers going to sleep between fights. The viewer's suggestive state, brought on by the effects of the television, is perfect for carefully crafted commercial enterprise. The viewer cannot effectively resist the assimilation of advertising, as it is part of the programming seen on the television. Properly constructed advertisements encourage the viewer to seek specific brands when trying to solve problems, leading to less actual thought in the decision making process. The overall effectiveness of advertising on people in suggestive states has encouraged corporations to continue it, leading to ever increasing commercials and less program during every hour of every show.