This comment on a sort of unrelated post on the Camp Creek blog got me thinking recently-
It's a sad comment on our times that we trust our own feelings about things so little. Almost by definition, anything people, especially kids, like a lot is suspect. I had a colleague a while back who kept giving things up because he thought he was addicted to them. His evidence? He wanted more of them. It wasn't a mindset that allowed for the simple fact of pleasure--the notion that it is natural to want to do things you like.
I could be defined as just such a killjoy, I suppose. I’ve stopped drinking alcohol, don’t have a TV and choose not to have the internet connected in my house. I’m currently even quitting my tea drinking habit. All of this has been because i’ve been ‘addicted’ to each of them in some way-and yes, derived pleasure from them.
However, the pleasure of each wasn’t real pleasure, hence the quitting. I adore sewing and reading, and have no intention of ever giving either up. But the internet, with its time-sucking, surreal world-yes, I needed to stop that, as much as I mostly enjoyed it. It interfered too much with my real life, and therefore was detrimental to happiness overall. I don’t like anything having a hold over me, and affecting my moods, hence calling a halt to the tea (caffeine and sugar) and alcohol. TV is just crap (and I had to de-zombie the husband, he freely admits that).
But whereas quitting something universally accepted to be bad, such as heroin, is seen only a good thing, quitting the above is seen as……well, a bit silly. And obviously the work of a boring person. TV, internet, alcohol and tea drinking are completely accepted, to the point where it is socially acceptable (and normal) to spend all your waking hours doing something involving at least one of the above. And for people who do spend all their time involved in them, it is a completely foreign concept to quit. QUIT? But then how would I remain socially connected, if I didn’t have constant Facebook/email connection? How would I relax and have fun without alcohol? AND HOW WOULD I KEEP UP WITH MASTERCHEF?
It is somewhat socially exclusive-both the husband and I have been out and had absolutely nothing to contribute to the conversation, because it’s all been about TV and movies. Non-drinking is acceptable for a woman, but an Australian man? Freak!
Ah well-I feel much, much better without any of my addictions, whether others understand them as that or not. And maybe I should just use the husbands response to peoples incredulous questions of just what exactly he does with his time……
“Have LOTS of sex” (snort!)
