One of the most oft-bashed time wasters in the productivity world is television. Vapid, pointless, mind-numbing and useless are the kindest terms I’ve seen used to describe it. Get off your ass, they say, and follow your dreams! Or read a book, for once!

The thing they totally neglect to think about is that every TV show is someone’s dream, too. Actually, it’s a lot of someone’s dreams, all bundled up into one thing that they hope will entertain and engage enough people that they get to keep doing it another week, another season. A book is great — I love books, and I own enough of them to make the simplicity crowd cry mercy — but a book is really just one person’s dream.

How many actor hopefuls do you know, or know of? Script writers? Directors? What about FX techs, stage painters, dancers, costumers? If you live down near LA, or up in Vancouver, it’ll be even more. And it takes all of those people to make a TV show and more, the PAs and grips and security guys who help make those dreams come true, or have dreams of their own. (Yes, yes, books require the publishing industry. That’s not the point, because honestly, when was the last time a productivity guru told you not to read?)

I’m not saying there’s not a lot of bad TV out there — Sturgeon’s Law applies to television as well as everywhere else, and it’s compounded by the committee effect. But there’s also nothing wrong with enjoying a good story, a hot actor or actress, or even someone falling on their ass in a dance-off. Like in so many other places, it’s about moderation and choices, and deciding if this week’s episode of CSI is going to supplant something that’s more important to you, give you an excuse not to do that thing you’re afraid of failing at, or if perhaps you just really like CSI.

Make the choices you need to make to realize your dreams — but don’t stomp on other people’s dreams on the way.