I had never really taken a step back and thought about the unique media that is television. A film lasts about two to three hours... during this time, one may be completely immersed in the characters, plot, etc... but afterward, the film is over (with the rare exception of a sequel or something of that sort). Many actors get several leading roles, so we as an audience think that we know them on a familiar level.

Television is like film.. amplified. Multiplied by ten billion... but put in the background. We are constantly bombarded with images-- familiar faces of stars who we think we know personally, commercials telling us what we need to buy, plot lines that are all too familiar... just with a different twist.

We become so accustomed to our television that some don't even bother to turn it off. It's just background noise... We also become accustomed to the characters who we see on our shows. I have told people numerous times that when I grow up I want to be Olivia Benson (from Law and Order SVU). In reality, she doesn't exist (although this is idea is hard to grasp-- I love Olivia...).

How did this happen? Why are we so connected to this little box?? Without it, would we be missing a sense of imagined community within our city, state, country...???