Ever get the feeling that you’ve been cast, against your will, in the world’s largest reality TV show? 

Before we can remove ourselves from the contrived drama, we first have to understand how we got there. This has a lot to do with how much media we consume on a daily basis. 

Television programming tends to keep us simultaneously distracted, entertained and a little bit outraged but also primarily resigned to merely being viewers.

The danger here is that the more reality programming we watch, the more the lines between what is real and what is staged become blurred.

We can become so fixated on entertainment that trains us to take pleasure in the pain, suffering and humiliation of others that we begin to see them through the lens of normalcy.

If you believe the solution is to simply watch more news-oriented programming, think again. A strong case can be made that watching the daily news can dull our intellect as well.

Even news programs have the capacity to affect how we think about everything, including politics, government, religion, science, values and culture.

Much of our news is made up of statements rather than arguments that could help us better understand a particular issue.

Taking a media fast, for even a few days, can help us recognize how and where we’re being manipulated. Give it try.

Not only does the world start looking normal again, but you may find you have more time for things that actually matter.