This is a good read from the Washington Post in light of Mark Bauerlein’s take on the media culture and youth (chronicled by Mitch here). Bauerlein pointed out that teens and young adults are continually barraged by sensory experiences, television one medium among many. From the article:

Happy people spend more free hours socializing, reading and participating in religious activities, while unhappy people watch 30 percent more television, according to new research on American life.

In a study that is among the first to compare daily free-time activities with perceptions of personal contentment, researchers found that television hours were elevated for people who described themselves as “not too happy.” On average, the down-and-out reported an extra 5.6 hours of tube time a week, compared with their happiest counterparts.