Do TV shows actually make you feel empathy?

Perhaps the word itself carries too much weight; it isn't that one cannot break the habit, but rather...

I don't watch much television; I simply lack the time or the desire to squander my hours in front of a TV or a computer screen.

Usually, I have found myself settling in after dinner to watch Black Rose, perhaps staying on to catch a bit of some lighthearted sitcom—something like *Schitt's Creek*, which is quite a delightful series to laugh at.

In essence, there are moments when I truly immerse myself in a particular show, feeling a certain "affection" for the characters within it...

More so for the world itself... and the very life portrayed within it...

I am referring specifically to that first series, Black Rose.

Of course, I have no idea how many people actually watch it, but having followed it from the beginning with a few breaks, I have grown fond of this series for several reasons...

1) I find myself drawn to those quieter settings—places with less traffic, more open space, a sense of emptiness, yet still remaining within reach of civilization.

2) I admire the lifestyle of the family itself; they are well-to-do, yet they remain grateful to God, possessing a home and a full table every day without needing to travel to the far corners of the globe to feel fulfilled. They live a standard life, yet one that feels more secure.

3) I appreciate the character Firat; while he is certainly capable and healthy, the man has a roof over his head and doesn't rely on complex technology. He can build something, sell it, and have enough for his basic necessities.

My goal is to ask if you experience similar "dilemmas," or perhaps something else entirely...

And that is, more importantly, just how much do we actually need to be happy? How much does the drive to possess more push us? I am young, only 22, and I believe I will eventually start a family; I will want to provide for my children, which requires money, of course. I don't shy away from technology either, but still...

Do we truly require so much? Do we spend our lives working for money only to spend it on various technological gadgets, or better cars and houses?

ambertinker10 said:Perhaps the word itself carries too much weight; it isn't that one cannot break the habit, but rather...

I don't watch much television; I simply lack the time or the desire to squander my hours in front of a TV or a computer screen.

Usually, I have found myself settling in after dinner to watch Black Rose, perhaps staying on to catch a bit of some lighthearted sitcom—something like *Schitt's Creek*, which is quite a delightful series to laugh at.

In essence, there are moments when I truly immerse myself in a particular show, feeling a certain "affection" for the characters within it...

More so for the world itself... and the very life portrayed within it...

I am referring specifically to that first series, Black Rose.

Of course, I have no idea how many people actually watch it, but having followed it from the beginning with a few breaks, I have grown fond of this series for several reasons...

1) I find myself drawn to those quieter settings—places with less traffic, more open space, a sense of emptiness, yet still remaining within reach of civilization.

2) I admire the lifestyle of the family itself; they are well-to-do, yet they remain grateful to God, possessing a home and a full table every day without needing to travel to the far corners of the globe to feel fulfilled. They live a standard life, yet one that feels more secure.

3) I appreciate the character Firat; while he is certainly capable and healthy, the man has a roof over his head and doesn't rely on complex technology. He can build something, sell it, and have enough for his basic necessities.

My goal is to ask if you experience similar "dilemmas," or perhaps something else entirely...

And that is, more importantly, just how much do we actually need to be happy? How much does the drive to possess more push us? I am young, only 22, and I believe I will eventually start a family; I will want to provide for my children, which requires money, of course. I don't shy away from technology either, but still...

Do we truly require so much? Do we spend our lives working for money only to spend it on various technological gadgets, or better cars and houses?

🙂 I suppose you should focus more on what YOU actually need, rather than focusing on what "WE" supposedly need... just an idea, of course..

The lifestyle you’ve described for your family sounds like an absolute dream to me. Honestly, if anyone wants more, they should go right ahead—just not at the expense of everyone else. Unfortunately, that seems to be the inherent nature of American capitalism, so I suppose you should just be grateful to live in such an environment. I wish nothing but the best for your family, and plenty of health to them.👍

On another note, television is essentially just a tool for numbing both the mind and the body. If I were in your shoes, I might suggest picking up some kind of manual hobby. A bit of direct interaction between one's consciousness and the physical world can be quite beneficial for the soul. You see, our hands are perhaps the only true instruments we have for manifesting ideas and turning dreams into reality. So, I wonder, what are you waiting for? 🤔

Lawrence Bailey77 said:🙂 I suppose you should focus more on what YOU actually need, rather than focusing on what "WE" supposedly need... just an idea, of course..

The lifestyle you’ve described for your family sounds like an absolute dream to me. Honestly, if anyone wants more, they should go right ahead—just not at the expense of everyone else. Unfortunately, that seems to be the inherent nature of American capitalism, so I suppose you should just be grateful to live in such an environment. I wish nothing but the best for your family, and plenty of health to them.👍

On another note, television is essentially just a tool for numbing both the mind and the body. If I were in your shoes, I might suggest picking up some kind of manual hobby. A bit of direct interaction between one's consciousness and the physical world can be quite beneficial for the soul. You see, our hands are perhaps the only true instruments we have for manifesting ideas and turning dreams into reality. So, I wonder, what are you waiting for? 🤔

And I suppose the internet doesn't numb the brain either...

😁 Read more carefully; I was not discussing my own family, but rather the characters in the series...

I am speaking about the majority, which is why I used the term "us"...

It’s definitely not entirely normal or healthy to get this obsessed with TV shows... or to empathize with these characters as if they were actual people...

wanderingangler13 said:It’s definitely not entirely normal or healthy to get this obsessed with TV shows... or to empathize with these characters as if they were actual people...

I find myself in complete agreement.

Yet, one cannot help but wonder: how much of this is truly beneficial for our well-being? Much of what we are being presented with simply isn't healthy.😛

ambertinker10 said:And I suppose the internet doesn't numb the brain either...

😁 Read more carefully; I was not discussing my own family, but rather the characters in the series...

I am speaking about the majority, which is why I used the term "us"...

If he’s relying solely on you, then he’s effectively just a puppet performing exactly as he dictates. I suspect they will dull your senses just enough to make you useful—once you've been sufficiently exploited by those who weaponize the web in that manner. It’s a grim cycle, I suppose. However, there is still a semblance of true liberty left online. There exists a certain segment of the population—people who are actually trying to preserve the very essence of what the internet was intended to be: a gift to humanity designed for the free exchange of information and open communication. Whether that ideal can survive the current climate is a question I find myself pondering quite often. 👍

I suppose if you’ve finally made peace with the slow, steady process of numbing your own soul, then you’ve essentially conceded that things are exactly as they should be—stagnant and unchangeable. It's a quiet sort of surrender, I guess. By choosing to dull your senses, you're effectively deciding that nothing can ever truly improve, which, in a way, might be the only way to ensure that depression doesn't eventually consume you entirely. Or maybe that's just a comforting lie we tell ourselves to justify the apathy.

😁 You really ought to read more closely. I am not referring to my own family here; I am discussing the characters from that television series...

🤦 ... yes ... I suppose now that I’ve actually taken a moment to sit with it and read your words more closely ... it seems you might just be profoundly bored with life. ☕

I suppose I should clarify that I’m speaking about the majority here—which is why I say it applies to us.

Are you perhaps acting as some sort of spokesperson for the masses? If I were actually looking to engage in a conversation or direct my remarks toward you, I suppose I would need to know if there exists someone capable of listening to both of us while remaining silent about your specific views. Or, perhaps more interestingly, I could simply discuss you with your parents, speaking of you in the third person, I imagine. That might be a more productive route, though I can't say for certain. 🙂

😉

ambertinker10 said:I find myself in complete agreement.

Yet, one cannot help but wonder: how much of this is truly beneficial for our well-being? Much of what we are being presented with simply isn't healthy.😛

...just looked back at the original post. Honestly, I can't tell—do you actually have a hard time empathizing with characters in shows and getting invested (like you claimed in the title), or is your issue more about how civilization and technology are destroying us (those last questions)? And what exactly are these "similar problems" you're talking about? Is it just because we all happen to like Firat?..🤷....

wanderingangler13 said:😉

...just looked back at the original post. Honestly, I can't tell—do you actually have a hard time empathizing with characters in shows and getting invested (like you claimed in the title), or is your issue more about how civilization and technology are destroying us (those last questions)? And what exactly are these "similar problems" you're talking about? Is it just because we all happen to like Firat?..🤷....

I admitted at the very outset that I was uncertain if my reaction constitutes a genuine form of empathy...

Perhaps it is more akin to being wary of certain "silent killers"...

On one hand, I appreciate technology, and indeed I rely upon it now, yet one must ask: why do we labor so incessantly? Why do we permit ourselves to be exploited simply to acquire a slightly better car or a larger house?

Are you actually following the series itself, or do you truly understand how that character was intended to be perceived?

The reality is that he arrived here, having been deported from Germany, separated from his daughter, and he simply lives his life as it comes...

The crux of the matter is that he is content; perhaps people in that region of Turkey still live without much more than that today...

I concede that I occasionally find him difficult to understand, but the discussion ought to have focused more on the latter points: on the character of Firat himself, or perhaps the dynamics within the Šamverd family...

ambertinker10 said:I admitted at the very outset that I was uncertain if my reaction constitutes a genuine form of empathy...

Perhaps it is more akin to being wary of certain "silent killers"...

On one hand, I appreciate technology, and indeed I rely upon it now, yet one must ask: why do we labor so incessantly? Why do we permit ourselves to be exploited simply to acquire a slightly better car or a larger house?

Are you actually following the series itself, or do you truly understand how that character was intended to be perceived?

The reality is that he arrived here, having been deported from Germany, separated from his daughter, and he simply lives his life as it comes...

The crux of the matter is that he is content; perhaps people in that region of Turkey still live without much more than that today...

I concede that I occasionally find him difficult to understand, but the discussion ought to have focused more on the latter points: on the character of Firat himself, or perhaps the dynamics within the Šamverd family...

Yeah... still doesn't make any more sense than it did before.🤷 Maybe someone who actually understands what this thread is about will bother to answer...

wanderingangler13 said:Yeah... still doesn't make any more sense than it did before.🤷 Maybe someone who actually understands what this thread is about will bother to answer...

😁 It is entirely possible🙂that we require so little to achieve happiness? Or perhaps, should we simply label such a concept as Materialism...

Traveling is essential..
And it isn't some luxury item.. if you take a moment to research how to do it on a budget..

Beyond just discovering new cities and cultures, it broadens your perspective..

ambertinker10 said:And I suppose the internet doesn't numb the brain either...

😁 Read more carefully; I was not discussing my own family, but rather the characters in the series...

I am speaking about the majority, which is why I used the term "us"...

"Dad, Dad, is it true that the internet makes people stupid?" asks a little boy to his addict father.

The father simply replies, "OMG, WTF, ROFL MAO."

---------------

There is also a version where the father responds, "I must Google it."