Television theory is a philosophical theory that became popular in the early 20th century few years after invention of the Television. It was proposed by a philosopher of Payeria state.
A philosopher after observing a television set and how it works, proposed a scary possibility that our life could be like a television. So long as we live the world exists and then it returns to nothingness like it once was before we were born.
She said this,
“As a being I have a subjective view of the world. I know what I think, how I feel and hear my thoughts. But as an individual I can’t know the thoughts of other people. Reading minds is just a great skill of understanding human behavior and studying body language. So watching the world around me how do I know that anything I see is real, just like the pictures on a television?
Even though all of us are in one room, we might be worlds apart. You are living in your television and I am in mine. It’s only because our worlds overlap so we think that we all are equally alive. When in reality except for you, everyone you see might be just a plot device, as they say in theater language, to forward your story. Nothing else.
Just think about this, who here remembers anything that happened before you were born?”
This female philosopher was a very respected person in the society she lived in. People used to go to her for advice for every problem, even more than to the religious institution that was build for that exact purpose. Whatever she said was always taken very serious. When she proposed this theory she was at a party of friends and family. Hearing this thought scared everyone.
I mean, to think that the family members and relationships that we have aren’t real and not worth having, caring or sacrificing your life for was a very scary thought. For the next few days people were very scared and so this philosopher was asked for an explanation. One morning she was called at the religious institution building and was told to speak in front of all the town people.
Witnessing the tensed faces she burst into laughter saying, “It was all a joke. I’m an old woman but I like to have fun from time to time. You people are so serious when you come to me for advice. I just want to fool you once. Please relax, there was no truth to anything I said… Happy fool’s day!”
This television theory became very popular among the philosophers of the world and was something to be studied. But for the common folk of that town, in that moment they were relieved.
As a practice they started celebrating first of the fourth month every year as ‘the Fool’s day’. On this day people take a break from their serious life and try fooling one another. “Nothing you say on the Fool’s day should be taken seriously.”
TL;DR
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First of all thank you for reading this post. What you read here is not my absolute belief set in stone. I am always open for discussion and future alterations to the post. Actually I consider these posts as a conversation starter. So if you have an opinion to share, please do comment down below.