Here's why we depend so much on music and TV

Ever wonder why we put such a high premium on television and music?

It's not just about the entertainment value they deliver.

Essentially, TV and music rescue us, if temporarily, from the humdrum of everyday life.

We watch everything from reality shows to soap operas on television. These programs have no basis in reality -- and that's precisely why we gravitate to them. We like to immerse ourselves in love stories and action-packed adventures that break the monotony of real life -- annoying bosses, cubicle boredom, bickering with your inlaws, endless chores.

Every episode of shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones leaves viewers hungry for more. It gives them something to look forward to. The feeling of being on the edge of your seat -- the unpredictable -- is a tremendous high. Movies with various installments -- Twilight, The Avengers, and Rocky are a few examples -- have the same effect on audiences.

Further, music serves a similar purpose. Think about a time you've gotten so into a song that you completely forget your surroundings. Just like you can immerse yourself completely in a TV show, one can become engrossed in a song. I lose track of the time while exercising at the gym to the tune of my favorite songs.

Music from the past also transports us to an earlier time. Perhaps hearing a certain song reminds you of your high school prom, the first time you went to a ballgame with your dad, or of a trip you took in the 80s with your closest friends.

Thus, music and TV not only entertain us, but they disrupt routine and monotony. They distract us from our problems and often put us in a better mood.

Can you imagine what our lives would be like without either one?

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Comments

Unknown said…

We didn't always have tv or many other mediums of media. I imagine life without them would be...more peaceful and perhaps much less superficial. Don't get me wrong, there are wonderful things in entertainment but it's became an addiction of escape and fantasy to the detriment of dealing with reality.

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