Shrink Rap: Mean TV

13 May Shrink Rap: Mean TV

[click “Play”, Dr. Paul Hokemeyer talks with Susan about meanness on TV]

By Dr. Paul Hokemeyer

Dr. Hokemeyer is a nationally recognized expert on Eastern philosophies, relationships, and emotional healing. A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, he holds a PhD in psychology, as well as a doctorate in the law. A part-time Telluride resident, Dr. Hokemeyer is based in the New York City office of the Caron Treatment Centers. He is also a weekly contributor to “The Dr. Oz Show,” CNN’s “Headline News,” and other media outlets, including “Good Morning America,” “truTV,” and “Oprah Radio.” His new column, Shrink Rap, is scheduled to appear at least bi-monthy on Thursdays on Telluride Inside… and Out.

If I see one more angry, surgically altered middle-aged woman screaming at another angry, surgically altered middle-aged woman, I am going to throw my television in to the Hudson River. Isn’t there enough meanness, narcissism and  in the world as it is. Why glamorize such hollow values?

As individuals in relationship with ourselves and others we need to be promoting more esteeming ways of interacting. The first way to do this is to ground ourselves in  a self-less orientation to the world. In our every thought, word and deed, we should consciously affirm basic concepts of human dignity.

One indicator of emotional health is a person’s capacity to interact and work with others. Those people who are able to get out of themselves, connect with others and serve a larger purpose tend to enjoy happier and healthier lives. Human beings are social creatures. We need nurturing human connections.
Tawdry scripts feed to us through “reality” programming tell us that success is a function of winning at another’s expense, morals don’t matter and money buys happiness. Parasitic values that are anything but nurturing.

So the next time you feel drawn to your couch to tune into one of these mean TV offerings, think again. Rather than feed the mean machine, feed and nurture yourself. Call up a friend. Go out for a cup of coffee. That is better for your emotional health and not tuning in sends a message to the TV executives: Alright already. Enough mean TV.