New readers of this blog may not know it, but I have lived without a Tee Vee since 2000.  I have a home computer, an i-phone, and a radio.  But I do not have a Tee Vee.  I don’t see this as a badge of honor; it’s a fact of my life.  I’m not militant about it and I don’t have a bumper sticker about it.

Recently, my mother invited me over to watch Game 6 of the World Series.  She included supper with the invitation and I couldn’t refuse.  We had a delicious meal, we did the dishes, and I took a walk while my parents watched “the evening news.”  I’ll have to write about my experience on the set of “the evening news” one of these days.  Let’s just say the presentation of “news” is not the same thing as the presentation of “information.”  Since my parents like to watch the “evening news” without my running commentary, I don’t watch it with them.

The pre-game show began and sadly, Fox Sports didn’t show Louis Tiant throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to Carlton Fisk.  Fox Sports preferred to show four former sports figures in expensive athletic-cut suits talking about the game.  I was disappointed, but what could I do?  It’s Tee Vee, after all.

The game began and the Red Sox were playing well.  It was a made for Tee Vee game, really.  Then there was a commercial break and I saw a face I had seen countless times when logging out of Facebook.  It was the image of a woman; this fictional character represents a certain insurance company.  According to Wikipedia, she is attaining “icon” status.

She’s also a popular Halloween costume and I couldn’t help but find this humorous because I think she’s scary.  I don’t find anything about her “upbeat” and “sincere.”  I know this is what Boston-based advertising giant Arnold Worldwide wants me to think about her, but I don’t.  When I see this “icon” of insurance, I’m frightened.  She reminds me of a gang of mean girls in high school who made fun of my too-short striped pants.  Back then, we didn’t use the word “bullying.”

When I see this icon of insurance, I think “mean girl.”

Tee Vee exists to sell ideas and crap and bully people.  It doesn’t exist to expand anyone’s mind.  But like I said, I’m not militant about the destruction of Tee Vee.  I live in a world of sound and natural images, relatively speaking.

The images and people I see are not stage sets or actors and actresses posing as men and women who care.  They’re not selling anything.

I don’t see Tee Vee going away any time soon.

That’s too bad because we need more caring men and women in the world and fewer icons of industry.