I want it now! Have you heard someone say that phrase recently and thought wow they do not want to wait for anything anymore! Well it is happening more and more. People are becoming used to the idea of instant information and instant answers. Even the news programs are expecting all the facts to be released instantaneously after some event has happened.

Somehow we have gotten to this sorry state where no one wants to wait for all the facts to come in. On many television shows, especially police based ones; the results of tests come back almost instantaneously. And in the real world test results can take days or even weeks to complete. Also many television shows distort how the real world works and warp time so that things can happen faster than in real life. This blurring of reality is taking a toll on how we perceive the passage of time.

A good example is the frequency and number of commercials on both television and radio programs. Way back when there were commercials about every fifteen minutes and they only lasted maybe two or three  minutes in total; now they can come every five minutes and last just as long. This is damaging our attention span and warping our perception on the passage of time.

You might not know it, but cable television programs did not always have commercials and yet today there are too many with a far too short period of time in between them. Too much greed is taking place without thinking of the negative consequences that can result from having too short of a time span between commercials.

Our want it now society is becoming more and more damaging to our youth. They have indoctrinated and or become used to instant gratification. They want what happened a few minutes ago news reports with answers, but will accept the reporter’s speculation and think nothing is wrong with doing that. What is happening is the fault of all of us! We are letting ourselves be manipulated by those who would make the maximum profit from our being exposed to this overexposure to instant gratification. Also we have to put the blame on the internet itself, where you can go shopping without leaving home and getting your item the next day if you want it that bad.

We as a society have to say enough is enough and stop this destructive cycle of instant gratification. Be it news or getting something via the internet. And we must say stop the short intervals between commercials, it is too damaging to let it go on! We must teach patience and how to except that television programming is not real about how fast things can be done. Also we ourselves must reprogram our way of thinking and avoid the instant answer/gratification mentality.

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike