Why they give so much authority to television?
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[Posted March 13, 2007]

The Real American Idols

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

President Nixon talking to Astronauts
"The President held an interplanetary conversation with Apollo 11 Astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on the Moon." --President Richard Nixon's Daily Diary, July 20, 1969 (US Government Archives)
Related article: Moon Expedition: Stairway to Heaven
Srila Prabhupada San Francisco Chronicle - March 13, 2007 - ELLEN LEE Rabbit-ear TVs about to reach end of the road
Analog TVs will no longer receive a signal come Feb. 19, 2009, unless users update their hardware to receive a digital signal.

Federal officials announced details Monday about how that transition will work, saying the government will help consumers buy the necessary equipment to upgrade to digital -- a converter box that attaches to the TV set.

The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) said it is setting aside $990 million to pay for the boxes. Each home can request up to two $40 coupons for a digital-to-analog converter box, which consumer electronics makers such as RCA and LG plan to produce. Prices for the box have not been determined, but industry and consumer groups have estimated they will run $50 to $75 each. go to story

[Just yesterday we read that last weekend President Bush submitted to Congress proposals to cut spending on agriculture, education and other programs in order to find money to pay for 8,200 more troops (see White House lists cuts to pay for more troops, USA Today, 11 March 2007), but evidently no cuts to the $990 million set aside for the Dept of Commerce NTIA program to provide free $40 vouchers to households to upgrade their analog television sets. Americans can do without food and education, even without medical care, but even Bush is wise enough to know that depriving them of their TV sets would be downright dangerous: they might wake up and see what's really going on.]

Captivated by Television
excerpt from morning walk, December 12, 1973, Los Angeles

Information Channels

Ocean of Fiction Hansadutta das

That's what America has created and is continuing to create through technology and media like TV, movies, computers, magazines and books: an ocean of fiction. An ocean of fiction. Whoever can create the greatest illusion becomes very prominent, like Walt Disney, or Spielberg, or Lucas. Whoever can perpetuate and keep us completely bedazzled and charmed with the external features of the world, he becomes a great person. And that goes in every field, not just in entertainment, but also in the field of politics. more
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Prajapati: ...told Srila Prabhupada, that it was published in a nationwide magazine. They showed that where people's trust was. They weren't trusting anything very much, but they trusted the medical people number one, and organized religion as such was way, way down, number eight or so. Why are people trusting the doctors so much?

Prabhupada: Because they are under this impression the doctors are scientifically advanced. But the doctors' science is also imperfect. Because they do not know what is the soul. They do not believe in soul.

Karandhara: They trust the doctors the first, and they trust television the second.

Prabhupada: Television.

Karandhara: Whatever they see on television, they accept.

Prabhupada: Why they give so much authority to television?

Karandhara: Well, everyone watches it. So they just become indoctrinated.

Prajapati: That is their altar in their home. It is in a permanent place in the center of their house, and they put flowers on top and they worship like that.

Prabhupada: [laughing] Hare Krishna.

Umapati: It's intoxication also.

Prabhupada: After all, they accept authority. Either the doctor or the television, is it not?

Yashomatinandan: Now they should accept Bhagavad-gita.

Prabhupada: Yes. They cannot say that they don't want authority. They cannot say. The authority is already there.

Karandhara: Well, the common people are crying for authority, leadership.

Prabhupada: Therefore you have to teach them how to elect leader. These are the qualification of the leaders. He must not be sinful. Then he can be. People will find in our camp.

The Real American Idols/ WORLD SANKIRTAN PARTY
©2007 - Hansadutta das
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