"TRUE! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily --how calmly I can tell you the whole story.
That is the opening to; The Tell-Tale Heart. It has always been one of my favorite short stories from Poe. It contains a great deal of dark, depraved emotion in such a short unique story. If you have never read it I highly recommend that you do
My own tale (besides being no where as good) may not be that deep and dark nor are my lamenting thoughts over the problem nearly as grave as that of the unnamed narrator in Poe’s story. But I will admit the feeling was truly grim and somewhat depraved. Essentially the event itself reminded me of how we tend to get carried away in our commercial world.
The idea was to ‘eventually’ purchase a large screen TV consisting of the 42 inch variety. With a perfectly working 27" widescreen it was hard to justify the new purchase. But the second bedroom was a good fit for the 27 as the newly finished basement was a little big for it. So the agreement was when it was time that I would purchase the previously mentioned 42" flat panel television.
The more we looked the more it seemed that the 42 maybe to ‘small’ for our area, hence leading to the consensus that the next step up, 46, would be better all-around. Of course there were no 46" models in the brand we wanted in our price range. So what happens next? We stumble upon a 50" TV that was priced perfect for the quality, the brand we wanted and hey why not go bigger.
So discussions ensued on size and the area was measured. It seemed like it would be a perfect fit. The lust began to grow and once at the store we knew it was the one we ‘wanted’ to have. On our third trip to the store it was a done deal and as we packed the massive carton into the trunk we were all smiles.
But for some reason during that short drive home every time I caught the considerable container, that filled the car from the front seats to the trunk, from the corner of my eye or mirror, something didn’t feel right. It was almost like the onset of the sinking feeling that follows when you are lost hiking in the woods, or when you were a kid at camp. But I shrugged it off as merely a feeling of spending a substantial amount of money in only a matter of 10 minutes "although I chuckled at heart". I remained confident that it was a reasonable purchase that will fill our basement with entertainment for years "although I chuckled at heart.
But when we dragged that massive 60" box down into the basement the sinking feeling returned and I quickly turned my attention to the much smaller TV stating "wow this is going to be so much better", "although I chuckled at heart". But when I looked to my partner there was no solace in the gaze that was returned, and in that moment I could tell the same feeling had entered her thoughts "it was the beating of the old man’s heart." We continued like everything was alright and removed the container’s top portion. There it was in all its glory a massive screen that I envisioned hours of sport and movie with life sized images dancing in front of me. But this changed quickly as it was placed to see the behemoth for what it really was "the hellish tattoo of the heart increased.
As we sat to watch our older, smaller, ‘lesser’ TV, the enormous figure was a silhouette in the corner of the room waiting for its life blood, plasma, to settle. We both tried to remain quite as we pondered the image of that black figure sitting in front of us and the utter cost and unnecessary size it would be up on the wall before us; "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"
We both realized immediately that we were not enjoying the thought of the financial and excessive, greedy waste this product represented as it was apparently too big. We both worked to replace the article into its container and were done with it. The consensus was to return to patient waiting till the right size (42) would come about for the right price. For now we were much happier with the smaller TV as it provides ample size.
In addition this ‘tale’ in and of itself would probably make someone like Poe angry with the context I used it in. Such a great piece of his work related to something so trivial. He would probably simply laugh and ask "this is your big dilemma? This is an issue that gives you difficulty?" But I suppose that was why I did it, to point out how silly it is to get sucked into our commercial world when a TV is a luxury at any size and there are so many other great opportunities, activities and things to do out there. Poe may have liked that message though.
Paradoxically I suppose I should be happy that we (Westerners) have access to everything we want so much so that lamenting over the size of a TV is an ‘issue’. And on the other hand it is embarrassing as westerners to merely have this access and take advantage of it every day when it is not a necessity. It is a fine line between enjoying the things I work hard for and becoming gluttonous and ultimately hypocritical. We were taken in by the mere want of luxury that we could afford financially but at what other costs?
*By know means is this meant to be preaching merely my experience.
That is the opening to; The Tell-Tale Heart. It has always been one of my favorite short stories from Poe. It contains a great deal of dark, depraved emotion in such a short unique story. If you have never read it I highly recommend that you do
My own tale (besides being no where as good) may not be that deep and dark nor are my lamenting thoughts over the problem nearly as grave as that of the unnamed narrator in Poe’s story. But I will admit the feeling was truly grim and somewhat depraved. Essentially the event itself reminded me of how we tend to get carried away in our commercial world.
The idea was to ‘eventually’ purchase a large screen TV consisting of the 42 inch variety. With a perfectly working 27" widescreen it was hard to justify the new purchase. But the second bedroom was a good fit for the 27 as the newly finished basement was a little big for it. So the agreement was when it was time that I would purchase the previously mentioned 42" flat panel television.
The more we looked the more it seemed that the 42 maybe to ‘small’ for our area, hence leading to the consensus that the next step up, 46, would be better all-around. Of course there were no 46" models in the brand we wanted in our price range. So what happens next? We stumble upon a 50" TV that was priced perfect for the quality, the brand we wanted and hey why not go bigger.
So discussions ensued on size and the area was measured. It seemed like it would be a perfect fit. The lust began to grow and once at the store we knew it was the one we ‘wanted’ to have. On our third trip to the store it was a done deal and as we packed the massive carton into the trunk we were all smiles.
But for some reason during that short drive home every time I caught the considerable container, that filled the car from the front seats to the trunk, from the corner of my eye or mirror, something didn’t feel right. It was almost like the onset of the sinking feeling that follows when you are lost hiking in the woods, or when you were a kid at camp. But I shrugged it off as merely a feeling of spending a substantial amount of money in only a matter of 10 minutes "although I chuckled at heart". I remained confident that it was a reasonable purchase that will fill our basement with entertainment for years "although I chuckled at heart.
But when we dragged that massive 60" box down into the basement the sinking feeling returned and I quickly turned my attention to the much smaller TV stating "wow this is going to be so much better", "although I chuckled at heart". But when I looked to my partner there was no solace in the gaze that was returned, and in that moment I could tell the same feeling had entered her thoughts "it was the beating of the old man’s heart." We continued like everything was alright and removed the container’s top portion. There it was in all its glory a massive screen that I envisioned hours of sport and movie with life sized images dancing in front of me. But this changed quickly as it was placed to see the behemoth for what it really was "the hellish tattoo of the heart increased.
As we sat to watch our older, smaller, ‘lesser’ TV, the enormous figure was a silhouette in the corner of the room waiting for its life blood, plasma, to settle. We both tried to remain quite as we pondered the image of that black figure sitting in front of us and the utter cost and unnecessary size it would be up on the wall before us; "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"
We both realized immediately that we were not enjoying the thought of the financial and excessive, greedy waste this product represented as it was apparently too big. We both worked to replace the article into its container and were done with it. The consensus was to return to patient waiting till the right size (42) would come about for the right price. For now we were much happier with the smaller TV as it provides ample size.
In addition this ‘tale’ in and of itself would probably make someone like Poe angry with the context I used it in. Such a great piece of his work related to something so trivial. He would probably simply laugh and ask "this is your big dilemma? This is an issue that gives you difficulty?" But I suppose that was why I did it, to point out how silly it is to get sucked into our commercial world when a TV is a luxury at any size and there are so many other great opportunities, activities and things to do out there. Poe may have liked that message though.
Paradoxically I suppose I should be happy that we (Westerners) have access to everything we want so much so that lamenting over the size of a TV is an ‘issue’. And on the other hand it is embarrassing as westerners to merely have this access and take advantage of it every day when it is not a necessity. It is a fine line between enjoying the things I work hard for and becoming gluttonous and ultimately hypocritical. We were taken in by the mere want of luxury that we could afford financially but at what other costs?
*By know means is this meant to be preaching merely my experience.
8 comments:
You can come over and watch our 52-inch excessive, greedy waste whenever you like buddy!
Thanks Stan well appreciated and I will be there, and we’ll have to wait and see what I come home with after the return of the 50 this evening.
Looks like I am 8" less greedy today as the 42 fits well, lol
Firstly I echo your love of Poe's tell-tale heart. I read it as an impressionable young man and loved its dark, psychotic imagery.
As for buying a big "F-Off" TV..well I am of the school of thought that most of what is on TV is utter crap. I really could live without it.
One of the many benefits of the 'credit crunch' (terrible name methinks), is that we won't be able to buy this sort of crap any more.
Lets have an end to this mad consumerism eh?
You know Stan having a 52" doesn't make the Steelers play any better :)
Anyways looks like we are 8" less greedy hee hee. That holds true to the fact that size doesn't matter just quality. Talking TVs of course:) the 50" was so blurry for the basement.
Oh ouch... a Steelers knock... be still my heart (no pun intended). But perhaps Penn State would look even better on a 50" tv... hmmmm perhaps I should look into that... :)
Forts, I am similar to your line of thinking. My tv in my bedroom is 26 inches, and although you can now only turn it on with the remote (god help me if I lose the remote) I am happy with it. Someday I'd like to upgrade and have something nicer that doesn't fuzzy the picture on ocassion, but really who am I kidding? I want football and CSI and movies on my tv and that's really about it.... :P Amen to you for taking back the big monstrosity and getting something that works for you... :)
Obviously, you'll just have to buy a new house!!!
Lol, nope pretty happy with this one.
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