Sunday, April 13, 2008

Free Your Mind First

OK, so enough of the depressing reality of the TV programmed "good citizens". You want to know how to free yourself from that hell.

Let's get practical. Here are Skald's easy steps to mental freedom:

1. Unplug the TV
Cancel your cable service. Destroy the satellite dish. Never-- NEVER -- watch TV again.

2. Don't read or watch the "news" in any form
Don't read the newspaper. Don't read news websites. Don't listen to news radio (no, not NPR either!). Thoreau was absolutely right about the "news"-- its trivia and government/corporate spin.... it is designed not to inform you, but to make you fearful, powerless, and passive.

BUT HOW WILL I STAY INFORMED, you ask? The answer:
Read Books!

But maybe you are wondering, "What will I do with all my "free time" if I don't watch TV, or read the newspaper?"

Here's a short list of ideas:

Read books that challenge and inspire
Walk
Run
Bike
Swim
Meet with friends and talk
Go to a meeting of interesting people
Practice the guitar, bass, drums, singing,....
Take classes
Draw
Write a journal
Date
Start your own microbusiness
Learn a language
Meditate
Do Yoga
Plan a big trip
Build something
Ride a motorcycle
Get a massage
Go to a spa or hotspring
Go to the gym
Watch a documentary
Make a documentary
Write a blog ;)

3 comments:

Ardegas said...

Good advice! I fall into the old habits and need to be reminded.

I'm watching those cop series again, and reading newspapers, and that has to stop.

Thanks!

Drew Costen said...

Great stuff. I've been reading through your archives, and your thoughts on wage-slavery reflect my feelings about the work world perfectly. I've followed the "Voluntary Simplicity" lifestyle since moving out of my parents' place during high school (even if often out of necessity), but I'm still trying to find a way out of the wage-slave life. Thanks for the inspiration.

Leon1234 said...

You are so damn inspiring. I am glad to have your blog on my RSS feed. I am actually taking some of the ideas and thoughts you shared on your blog, and implanting it towards my mini-business. I'm working on doing technical and copywriting for clients. I am doing it sometimes, I would like to make it full time. I do go to school and have a regular job, so it's a little hard. However, with your help, I hope to succeed. Thanks again... I would love to talk to you sometime. Please, let me know when we could do that.