If TV is a propaganda machine or chewing gum for the mind then how come the only people who question things like the meaning of life are usually the ones who disdain television? Could it be that the answers to all of life's questions are contained within the glowing box and these people question such things because they're missing out. If you're in an existential crisis television will most likely answer all of your questions...
Having a sense of humor is a sign of good mental health. Taking yourself too seriously, well it's just not any fun
This thread reminds me of the time I got in an argument with a women whether the internet existed when Abraham Lincoln was alive. I was on another forum and people weren't being nice to each other and I said well, "it was abraham lincoln who said the internet giveth and the internet taketh away." She was adamant that the internet did not exist when Abraham Lincoln was alive.
Marshall McCluhan famously said -"the medium is the message." Observing the vapidity of most of it, it's obvious that is set up (mostly) for selling commodities. Perfectly positioned in every home to be the centerpiece of ----BUY MORE. BUY MORE NOW.