A year without television - my experience.

[Ryan]

A year ago - I decided to have my cable shut off, just for the fact that it's a sheer waste of time, and full of mindless programming. I had gotten to the point where I wouldn't watch it at all, and I couldn't justify spending money to have such a useless service.

I've gone one year, and now I've decided that I can justify it's price again. Not to say that my time without it wasn't great - I got to focus on oddball projects and tasks around my house and my life. I spent more time out of my house, with friends and family. There were some things I missed, though: news, comedy central, and even HGTV

So I caved in - I decided to have it turned back on. I've only watched it for about an hour in two days (rerun of the Colbert Report), but one thing that really pisses me off now is commercials. The barrage of advertisements seems so disruptive now, to the point where I don't even want to watch tv.

That's my experience without the magical video box in my life for a year

 

[randay]

Big. Huuuuuckin, Chicken.



You are big. You aaaaaaarrreeee, Chicken.



Biiiiiiiiig Huuuuuuckin Chicken.

 

[K1052]

Anyone who gets in my way of watching Deadwood, Rome, or BSG risks their health/life.

My PC is a far bigger drain on my time than the TV.

 

[EngenZerO]

wait... did you watch ota broadasts during this time period?

 

[kyzen]

I haven't had cable in almost 2 years. I survive.

 

[apac]

Originally posted by: randay
Big. Huuuuuckin, Chicken.



You are big. You aaaaaaarrreeee, Chicken.



Biiiiiiiiig Huuuuuuckin Chicken.

ahaha

 

[nakedfrog]

I wouldn't call all of it mindless programming... just the overwhelming majority. PBS has good stuff (of course, you don't have to pay for cable to get it unless you want a clear signal)

 

[amish]

Originally posted by: K1052
My WIFE is a far bigger drain on my time than the TV.

fixed!

 

[djheater]

I have three kids under 9, when we moved into this new house two years ago, we decided to have no television service whatsoever, and it's been great.

It's awfully nice to have a 4.5 year old who will entertain herself for an hour looking through animal picture books.

I honestly think my children have more imaginative and immersive play than their gameboy\NickJr.\SesameStreet peers.

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: amish

Originally posted by: K1052
My WIFE is a far bigger drain on my time than the TV.

fixed!

seriously

 

[iroast]

HGTV, SCIENCE, SCI-FI, DSC and FOOD are the channels I watch =]

 

[ForumMaster]

really? i don't have a tv at all and i manage just fine. (not that there's anything good where i live.)

 

[Golgatha]

I think when I spring for a HDTV, I will only get OTA broadcasts. Too much money for too little content. Netflix will probably take my money instead since almost all good TV shows are released on DVD now.

 

[flexy]

i could say i am (practically) going w/o TV for *at least* 3 years or longer.

Reason is that with a decent internet connection i got everything i need, like keeping up-to-date w/ news etc.

Entertainment value w/ games/online games or just chatting is way higher than what you get with TV.

Also....i could literally puke EACH time i see a good movie on tv, i just cant stand the commerical interruptions anymore....there were a few good movies on recently and there was a break literally every 8 mins.

My gf (and the friends in their house we're staying for now) have a HUUUUGGEE collection of DVDs...better selection than blockbuster.

Can you imagine that my gf did no know the meaning of "and this time, in band-camp ?"


You know why ???? Because she saw American Pie on TV and (as with MANY movies you woldnt even expect) on public TV they censor out A LOT - you will miss a lot if you watch movies on TV !

Gimme internet, a decent dvd collection and TV can bite me !

 

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster
really? i don't have a tv at all and i manage just fine. (not that there's anything good where i live.)

I haven't had a tv since my senior year in college, nearly 5 years. I used to watch a *lot* of tv, but I honestly don't miss it at all. There's always something availible to fill my time.

 

[SWScorch]

I really don't watch tv at all unless I'm at a friend's house and they're watching tv. Even if there is a show that looks interesting, I can never sit down and watch it; I always think of something more interesting to do. I have no problem watching movies though.

 

[Subterranean Homesick Alien]

Originally posted by: djheater
I have three kids under 9, when we moved into this new house two years ago, we decided to have no television service whatsoever, and it's been great.

It's awfully nice to have a 4.5 year old who will entertain herself for an hour looking through animal picture books.

I honestly think my children have more imaginative and immersive play than their gameboy\NickJr.\SesameStreet peers.

My 10 year old son has everything in his room to turn himself into a couch potato: cable TV, DVD, VCR, X-Box and a stereo, and yet he is not a couch potato and spends enourmous amounts of time sitting at his desk drawing or constructing things out of paper, tape, foil and cardboard, etc.

Early in his life I would say, "Okay that's enough of the video game or movie watching for now, it's time to go do something else." Now I don't have to say anything at all; he has learned to discipline himself.

Both my wife and I grew up in fundamentalist households where everything was banned for fear that we would not develop imaginative play or whatever. When we'd go to other people's houses all we wanted to do was watch their TV because we didn't have one at home. While we both may have ended up in artistic careers that require creativity, we don't have much love for our parents either.

It has become my opinion that authoritative and prohibitive methods risk producing weak willed children who are unable to discipline themselves, always looking to authority figures for guidance and instruction.

 

[notfred]

My TV isn't connected to cable, satellite, or an antenna, just a DVD player and a PS2, and sometimes a laptop computer. I'm fine with it like that.

 

[Ika]

TV is mindless. I love listening to people talking about "omfg did you watch **** show? omfg I can't wait for the next one!!!!!!!", because it generally goes to show how some shows can make people brain-dead.

 

[pennylane]

There are only a few shows and sporting events I keep up with. I never channel surf. If I don't have anything planned to watch, I don't watch.

I don't have TV at school (college) because it's too expensive. I have it at home and that's when I watch. At school I have DVD's, my xbox (with media center), my roommate's PS2, and I do just fine. Though my roommate did decide to get HDTV this summer to watch the World Cup, but that's also fine.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: EngenZerO
wait... did you watch ota broadasts during this time period?

Bump for answer, because if you did, it's not really "a year without television"

- M4H

 

[Molondo]

how about electricity without a year? come back then

 

[duragezic]

Yeah TV is so stupid... I haven't watched much of it since I was a young teen.

Now in college we paid out the ass for cable internet (3mbps/768kbps for $55/mo!!!) but of course one or two roommates wanted that retarded crap so I got stuck with paying for it monthly too. I guess when you are a lazy bastard its nice to sit in front of the TV for hours and hours watching absolute garbage, but between school/work/life I use my few hours of free time on the PC. I just watch DVDs and downloaded TV eps on my computer. I guess it is decent to catch 24 or Lost as it airs, rather than wait till the next day to have it downloaded, but I'd much rather save the $$ each month and go over to a friend's to watch it.

 

[Trogdor91]

Originally posted by: notfred
My TV isn't connected to cable, satellite, or an antenna, just a DVD player and a PS2, and sometimes a laptop computer. I'm fine with it like that.

Same here, except replace PS2 with dreamcast. I don't mind not having any TV shows to watch, cause I can always find something else to do. Though, I do admit when I go to my parents and watch their HDTV I have to cover my mouth from drool.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Trogdor91

Originally posted by: notfred
My TV isn't connected to cable, satellite, or an antenna, just a DVD player and a PS2, and sometimes a laptop computer. I'm fine with it like that.

Same here, except replace PS2 with dreamcast. I don't mind not having any TV shows to watch, cause I can always find something else to do. Though, I do admit when I go to my parents and watch their HDTV I have to cover my mouth from drool.

:heart:

Dreamcast FTW!

- M4H