In Farenheit 451, the main character’s wife was portrayed as being constantly surrounded by distractions. She had a “TV” room where shows filled the walls, and she gabbed constantly with her friend via “telephone.”
It’s been a while since I read the book, but I believe the general point was that the government encouraged this kind of behaviour to cut down on people actually sitting around and thinking. Thoughtful citizens, after all, are dangerous for governments.
I’ve lately realized that I have been ensconced in distractions that have seriously cut into my own ability to think. Many of these distractions are of my own choosing. I enjoy TV and movies and books, after all. But it’s become too much.
Therefore, I’ve been making an effort to cut back on distractions. It’s difficult to do, however, when your wife doesn’t share the same desire for peace and quiet. For instance, I like to read before I go to bed, but she likes to watch TV instead. These things are not mutually compatible.
So sometimes I leave the room in an effort to escape the noise, but then she feels that I don’t want to hang out with her. Perhaps I should assume that she doesn’t want to hang out with me when she turns on the TV.
Or perhaps she’s just trying to keep me from getting in trouble with the government. :)