Quote by Raymond Chandler
Television's perfect. You turn a few knobs, a few of those mechanical adjustments at which the higher apes are so proficient, and lean back and drain your mind of all thought. And there you are watching the bubbles in the primeval ooze. You don't have to concentrate. You don't have to react. You don't have to remember. You don't miss your brain because you don't need it. Your heart and liver and lungs continue to function normally. Apart from that, all is peace and quiet. You are in the man's nirvana. And if some poor nasty minded person comes along and says you look like a fly on a can of garbage, pay him no mind. He probably hasn't got the price of a television set.
Summary
This quote, attributed to Raymond Chandler, highlights the passive nature of television consumption. It suggests that television provides an effortless escape from active thinking and engagement with the world. Chandler portrays television as a mind-numbing experience where one can dissociate from reality and find peace and quiet. The emphasis is on the ease and simplicity of this form of entertainment, contrasting it with the complex functions of the brain. Chandler urges the reader not to be bothered by criticism or judgment from others, indicating a potential defense mechanism for those who rely on television to detach themselves from the world around them.