Be Radical, Be Cool: Why It’s Time to Throw Away Your TV
The other night, for the first time in years, I found myself in front of a TV. I don’t have one at home, but I was curious. In just one hour of viewing, I realized something unsettling: television offers a window into the very heart of our modern society, and it’s not pretty.
First up was Married at First Sight, glorifying relationships with as much depth as a plastic kiddie pool, interrupted by superannuation ads that sold the idea of a golden, loving retirement. The irony was palpable. Then came a real-life crime investigation, a football match, and an endless parade of ads—for KFC, betting, and rising house prices. It was a carousel of consumerism, and I couldn’t help but wonder: Is this what shapes our minds?
Think about it—just 30 minutes of this barrage, day after day, week after week. What happens to us? What do we become? Who do young people idolize? What do they value?
It dawned on me: the most radical act we can take today, to protect our health, nurture our relationships, and live a meaningful life, is to throw away our TV sets. That’s right. Be radical. Get rid of them.
The Undercover Agent in Your Living Room
Television is like an undercover agent, subtly pulling the strings in our lives. From a young age, we’re fed Disney fantasies where happiness equals marriage and a clear path through life. Then, as adults, we’re bombarded with meticulously crafted ads, urging us to save for a picture-perfect retirement or consume fast food and bet on sports.
TV teaches us to idolize reality stars and athletes, many of whom peddle junk food and gambling—habits that make us unhealthy and reliant on health insurance. This creates a never-ending cycle of craving more and more, with less time to actually live.
The more we consume this content, the more we fall into the trap of thinking that success is about accumulating things, not experiences. It’s a system that promotes a lifestyle of endless work, buying, and social media “sharing,” all while real human connection and experiences fade away.
The Trap of the Consumer Culture
We’ve become a society of consumers, and the TV plays a starring role. We spend our lives working for a house we barely enjoy, raising kids we hardly see, and saving for a retirement that may not be as glamorous as the ads make it out to be—because let’s face it, after decades of unhealthy habits, poor health will likely get in the way.
We continue to hustle for a brighter future, ignoring our values, our communities, and our planet. We no longer admire thinkers, writers, or environmentalists. Instead, we praise influencers and entrepreneurs who master the art of selling us more stuff we don’t need.
Is this really the life we want? A life of collecting things instead of meaningful moments?
Time to Flip the Script
Imagine if we chose time over money. Imagine if we threw out our TVs, cut down our work hours, and stopped buying things that don’t serve us. We could redefine what’s cool. It’s not the guy with a new jacket every season, but the one with the worn, patched-up coat that’s traveled the world with him. That’s cool.
My friend did just that. Tired of overworking and never seeing his kids, he went part-time, faced the ridicule of being called a tight-ass, and in return, got his health and his life back. He even inspired over 30 employees at his workplace to follow suit, prompting the company to shift its culture. That’s real change.
What Can You Do?
Maybe it’s time we all took stock. What radical, life-enriching choices can we make today? Can you throw away your TV? Can you stop buying things you don’t need? Can you work less and live more? What could you do with that extra time? What experiences could you enjoy?
If we can’t ban fast food or betting ads, we can at least reclaim control over what we consume. We can choose simplicity over consumerism, experiences over things, and purpose over endless work.
It’s time to be radical. It’s time to be cool. It’s time to be kind to ourselves, to our communities, and to the world.
I’m Evan Sutter. Reach out to me at EvanSutter.com. Let's make this radical shift together. Enjoy the journey.