It is so quiet here. Besides the snow sucking in the white noise, the absence of television creates more silence than were it merely turned off. When my parents, who live twenty-five minutes away, and my brother, a University of Chicago sophomore, visited for an hour or two over the weekend, I could feel their discomfort with the lack of background distraction. The nestling effect of the alpine scenery may have well been a screensaver image: a default when they moved too far away from the conversation. My mother fell in love with the house immediately, but commented, “You know I’m not much into views.”

My parents have televisions in every one of their rooms, including the laundry room (although not in the bathrooms. Incidentally, one of their closest friends has a television directly across from his toilet, which also doubles as an office). As my father and brother discussed the dishonesty in network news, mortgage rates, and the Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama wrestling match, my mother and Ruby watched Mary Poppins on the DVD in the exposed loft.

Having been raised with a television in my bedroom and on often during dinnertime, I have to fight off relying on its constant entertainment. I am mostly offended by the barrage of repulsive commercials, especially those that target little kids, and so refer to DVDs. I admit that I use the TV as a way to keep Ruby still on a daily basis, mostly so I can get household chores done, including my own basic grooming. Only a few programs fill her repertoire so far: Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and the “Signing Time” series, where she has learned to perform over 50 signs both to amuse us and herself, and to limit her frustration. Signing has allowed her to communicate in a way otherwise impossible at her age.

I don’t recall seeing a TV at George’s house and I know he doesn’t watch TV. He doesn’t even watch movies anymore.

The most ubiquitous medium for the exchange of information is TV. It is the one that takes up by far the most of our psychic energy. It is also the most powerful in terms of attracting and holding attention, and therefore, the one potentially most open to enriching, as well as manipulating and exploiting, the mind. Because this meme excludes so many other alternatives from attention, it is particularly important that we learn to control it.

TV competes with other media, such as reading or music; within the medium itself, different channels and programs struggle to attract the attention of the audience. This distinction is important because most discussions of television are focused on differences between programs.  A popular argument is that, if better programs were produced, viewing experience would be improved.  While this may be true, research also shows that viewing television has very powerful and distinct effects all its own, regardless of the program that’s on.  The mere act of watching TV has different consequences for the mind from reading or listening to music, and very different from those that follow on more active forms of leisure.

Television the world over seems to have the following effects on viewers:  It makes them feel very relaxed, but also significantly less active, alert, mentally focused, satisfied, or creative compared with almost anything else they could be doing.  At the same time, in every culture where TV is accessible, people watch it more than they pursue any other activity in their free time.  Television is a dramatic example of a media that invades the mind and reproduces there without concern for the well-being of its host.  Like drugs, watching TV initially provides a positive experience.  But after the viewer is hooked, the medium uses consciousness without providing further benefits.  In fact, research suggests that heavy viewers enjoy TV less than light viewers, and that the more one watches TV in one sitting the worse one’s moods progressively get.

Certainly it does not seem reasonable to argue that television is a tool that helps humans adapt to their environment.  It does not enhance moods, nor does it improve chances of survival.  All television does is replicate itself:  screens get bigger, pixels multiply, sitcoms beget other sitcoms, talk shows generate further talk shows, all the while using our psychic energy as their medium of growth.

But we are not entirely helpless confronting the onslaught of the media.  It seems that people who are in control of their consciousness derive some benefits form watching television, while those who are less able to channel their attention will succumb to the meme.  Their minds become colonized by the vivid images on the screen, and they end up being able to do little else than push buttons and watch.

People at risk for TV addiction tend to be less educated, have less desirable jobs, less satisfying family lives.  Those who tend to watch TV less do so more critically and with more discrimination.  They get out of the medium what they want: they control it instead of being controlled by it.  In this respect TV provides an excellent example of what is involved in our relationship with goals, they do have a tendency to take over and use us for their own ends.

Many believe that the Internet is a powerful counterpoint to television, in that it democratizes the creation and dissemination of information. But there are those, like George, who still believe in the ultimate power and authenticity of the printed word and image.

The business that George has asked me to help him with is a local publishing company. It’s called People’s Press. I will act as its Chief Editor and will be an owner of the company. The Editorial Board consists of George Stranahan, Daniel Shaw (a journalist and member of the Catto family), Mirte Mallory (a curator who has been revitalizing the work of her late grandfather Ferenc Berko) and me (of no distinguished lineage whatsoever). George is in the process of publishing and marketing the first book – a collection of photos he has taken of Gaylord’s fly fishing collection, paired with relevant quotations.

Each book’s first page will include the following statement:

The media of free market capitalism produces and promotes whatever sells best, and not anything else. Major publishing houses show and tell us what should appeal to a mass market, and so the singular voice if left unheard and uncounted; thus, we soil our democracy. Free market capitalism is about taking advantage of an opportunity even if it’s to somebody’s disadvantage. Little “d” democracy, however, includes caring for the disadvantaged.

We naturally find ourselves members of multiple communities, bonding and belonging in response to our commonalities. Within communities that share common beliefs, we can find succor and support, assuring us that we aren’t weird or crazy; we’re just like everyone else in the community, even when our beliefs are indeed weird or crazy.

People’s Press is an intentional, regional community of book-people: both producers and consumers of books within the Rocky Mountain West. We will form a business where, within our region, we read what we ourselves write. Communities already support local artists and farmers; now it’s time for them to support local authors. Little “d” democracy demands that we include readers and writers who are weird or crazy too, and we do.

People’s Press accesses the Digital Press technology to publish – in relatively small print runs - a large number and variety of books, each of which will generate some sales, none of which needs to become a blockbuster. (It’s not that blockbusters aren’t wanted, they’re just not necessary). This business model works when many titles enjoy personalized consignment distribution.

Revenue = #Titles X $Sales/title

People’s Press will work to maximize both factors (titles and sales) in this equation.

People’s Press invites all submissions; novels, poems, biographies, memoirs, anthologies, history, art books, children’s books, cookbooks, manuals, self-help, guides, references … Your business is the manuscript or the art, our business is the editing, printing and distribution.  People’s Press supports local authors and self-publishing by financing all initial costs: You provide the material; we provide the capital and operations required to get your book on store shelves; then you repay People’s Press through the sales of your book

People’s Press’ mission is to expose the singular voice, thereby reshaping the future of democracy.

If all goes as planned, the first page of this book, the one you are currently reading (or perusing), includes these paragraphs above, and People’s Press has been running successfully for at least several quarters. And if we are somehow reshaping the future of democracy this way, well then, I suppose we have begun to decolonize programmed minds.

Of course memes don’t know what their ends are, but most of the time we don’t know what ours are, either.

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