I suppose, like most people, I believe my level of discipline is pretty solid. I do not easily fall for schemes, scams, or cons. When someone tosses a sales pitch at me I quickly tune out without interest. It takes quite a bit to gain my attention for anything other than what I'm passionate about. In fact I grow suspicious when someone tries to sell me anything at all.
Or at least that is what I thought until I cut out cable T.V.
It was then I realized how easily I was swayed by the commercials that flashed across the screen. The newest burger creation danced across my eyes? Suddenly I'm hungry even though I've eaten. An improved version of my phone just released? My 'old' phone now seems strangely obsolete and useless. A sale for a new/used car that looks far better than the one I own? I start thinking that maybe I should take out a loan.
These types of messages are sprinkled into every type of media in the world today. Whether it's the TV, radio, magazines, blogs, etc. the underlying message is subtle: You're not as happy as you could be. You're not as important as you could be. You're missing out on something life altering. You are incomplete without this particular product.
And you know what? It's a lie.
The only thing these messages do is attempt to put you in a position to buy things you don't really need. Is there anything wrong with the items being touted? Of course not. Material things are neither good nor evil. But when modern marketing tactics are created, molded, and implemented to make you want to over consume...there is something wrong with that.
So what can you do?
1. If you still have cable or satellite TV you can mute the commercials and go do something else. Wash some dishes, do some push ups, fix a healthy snack, anything but watch the fluff that fills in the dead time before your show starts back up. This is something my dad did on a regular basis when we would watch TV and I never understood why...until I was older. Now he looks rather wise and discerning.
2. You can cut out regular cable/satellite TV completely. Because of faster internet speeds and services like Amazon Prime or Netflix, you can watch most of your favorite shows on these services without commercials. It's amazing how quickly your show goes by and you're not inundated by constant marketing messages. It actually gives you more time to do things you're passionate about!
3. Understand that at some point everything you own will either be replaced, given away, or thrown away. Take a look around your living space. See that couch? You may keep it for 20 years but at some point you'll replace it. Notice those magazines in the corner? Those will eventually be thrown away. The shirt you're wearing? You may give it away to Goodwill because it doesn't fit as well as it once did. Did I mention that when you die everything you own, no matter how much you may have loved certain possession, will either be given away or sold? When you think of your material possessions like this sometimes it seems down right silly to covet anything.
When you're not being influenced by outside forces you can be the one who influences others for good. Hopefully I can use my 'extra' time in this way. Seems far better than driving in a car I can't afford to buy a burger I'm not hungry for on my way to pick up a newer version of a phone that won't be any better than the one I have now. ;)
-Mike
