De-Programmed

For some time now I have avoided any TV show with a laff track.   Intellectually, and I'm no major intellect, I find it condescending and insulting.  Really?  You think I need to be cued and prodded to spot humor?

OK.  So I don't like the canned laughter. Secretly, I thought that push come to shove I could deal with it in a pinch.

I wanted some background entertainment as I tackle the 400 and some square feet of mess which has terrorized me for who knows how long.   I saw a show that looked interesting on Hulu, and I did the proper sequence of clicks to get 'er rolling.  Then I went to brew a pot of espresso.  OH MY GOD.

The initial dialog was mildly interesting, for about 3 seconds.  Then it happened.  I heard the fake laughter.  It grated on my nerves far worse than fingernails scratching across a blackboard ever have.  It made my skin crawl, my stomach felt nauseous, my head began to threaten serious ache.

I leaped through the clutter to shut that show down.  Then I breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly becoming aware that on top of all else, the canned laughter had stopped my breathing.

Over the years most of us who view even a moderate amount of television have become conditioned to take the laff track as normal, not giving it a second thought.  I realized that I have become de-programmed, like those kids that get kidnapped back from religious cults by their families.  It takes some serious de-programming for many of them, and that may be more serious.

The point is, I was once conditioned to not only accept the laff track, but to chuckle along with it.  That cannot be good.

I feel like I've achieved something.  A little victory earning me more control of my life and psyche.  I won't say empowered because that word generally annoys the hell out of me.  Kind of like "you go girl!" does.  That's got sexist overtones, and is generally uttered by some wannabe doing that waggle thing.  Obnoxious.

Maybe I really am achieving freedom a small bit at a time.