Effortless Affirmations and the vast wasteland of TV

The biggest problem with the TV (and trust me it has many issues) is that it doesn't require much of your brain. Unlike reading (or even listening) your mind doesn't need to imagine anything. Sight and sounds are done for you. Your grey matter need only go into "download mode."
This is a rather scary thought – that you automatically download into your subconscious whatever is put before you on the TV – especially when you consider what gets broadcasted.
In his historic "television is a vast wasteland" speech, Newton N. Minow said:

"[Television is] a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endless commercials — many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you'll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few."

Minnow said that back in 1961. Has TV changed much in the last five decades?
On the flipside, though, the "effortless downloading" that happens when watching television (or DVDs or YouTube) can be beneficial – if what you are watching is in tune with your values and your goals in life.
Today, I have a very short motivational video that merges affirmations, images and music. It's by the same people who brought you "The Secret." This is what I call "effortless affirmations."