Any one else anti television?

[MissKitty]

TVS, They eat time, are mind numbing and in my opinion the worst invention of the twenty-first centuary. Think what the world would be like if TVs hadn't been invented.

Families would be left with no choice but to spend time together doing some thing "fun" on an evening

People would have lots of spare time on their hands and would have to pursue new hobbies and learn new skills!

And shock of shock we all wouldn't have brainless advertisement songs stuck in our heads.

Nor would we have to sit through mind numbing TV for the sake of doing some thing instead we'd have to consider the alternatives.

Oh and there wouldn't be a great huge dark screen dominating our living space !

Perhaps I'm just bad at managing my time, perhaps I lack the strength to do constructive things and avoid pursuing ambitions and go for the easy option. But arn't we all a little guilty of those things from time to time?

I got a letter through the post today asking me to renew my TV licence and it made me stop and think, do I even want a TV?

Really the answer for me is no and I wondered if I am a lone in this descision?

[daenvgiell]

I don't have much time because of my uni commitments, I hardly watch tv these days, but I do love watching my movies. I think tv is ok if all you're looking for it some chill time, but not so ok if all you do is watch it all day.

[Just_A_Guy]

You're not alone; my wife and I have never subscribed to cable/dish in our 6 years of marriage. We're not really ideologically opposed to TV; just don't need it enough to justify the cost. We get our news over the internet and our entertainment from DVDs borrowed from our public library--and if the library doesn't have it, surfthechannel.com usually does.

[MissKitty]

I guess thinking about it, its ok if theres a balance, I guess I'm just a little fed up with myself tonight cos I'm full of cold but wasted the whole night watchin pointless (to me they feel that way) reality tv programmes. Got to admit to loving my disney movies tho there in lies my weekness... Still it definatly has a lot to answer too that big screen in the living room me thinks...

[DigitalShadow]

For me, TV has almost completely been replaced by the internet, but I think that's just the way it goes. If the internet did not exist, I would probably watch more TV, if the TV didn't exist I'd probably listen to more radio, if the radio didn't exist, I'd probably read more books, if books didn't exist I'd probably go to more plays. As technology increases, new mediums pop up to kill free time. If someone doesn't have the base motivation to go out and do something productive, I don't think that the newest medium for diversion is to blame.

[pam]

I'm not anti television yet I don't spend much time sitting in front of the tv watching it either. It seems like a waste of time. Now before anyone says anything about the amount of time I spend on the computer...you should see how much I get done running back and forth between chores and the computer screen.

[MissKitty]

Thats a good point Shadow and thinking about this the past hour, I'm sure a church authority said "The internet is a tool, its how we use it that can be negativ" or some thing a long those lines. The same can be said for TV too.

[Gab84]

For me, TV has almost completely been replaced by the internet, but I think that's just the way it goes. If the internet did not exist, I would probably watch more TV, if the TV didn't exist I'd probably listen to more radio, if the radio didn't exist, I'd probably read more books, if books didn't exist I'd probably go to more plays. As technology increases, new mediums pop up to kill free time. If someone doesn't have the base motivation to go out and do something productive, I don't think that the newest medium for diversion is to blame.

I agree with you.

Television in my country is horrible, basically I only watch sports, then I spend my free time at my computer, watching movies, listening to radios, reading.

Here Satellite TV is still too expensive for the majority of people, you pay 12€ a month but you don't get interesting channels, if you want the complete package (news, docs, movies, sports, soccer) it's around 52€ per month, PPVs excluded, so most people here just get 7 national channels, 3 public run by the Government and 4 privately owned (3 of them are owned by Berlusconi, who's Prime Minister), that basically suck, you get Tv series, agony aunt style talk shows, a lot of gossip talk shows, (ir)reality shows, infomercials, old and low quality movies and sometimes football, car racing, motorbike racing, and starting at 11PM we get some documentaries, political talk shows, better movies, it's absurd; plus some local Tv Channels which run infomercial for like 10-12 hours a day, a couple of news flashes, maybe a 2 hour football program and then they all show softcore videos or porn chatlines and websites commercials for all the night long.

I am anti low quality, gutter, sex oriented, immoral TV. Tv can be a great thing actually.

[Seanette]

I have cable (largely for the BYU channel), but don't watch huge amounts. DH and I enjoy "Mythbusters", and I have to confess that "The Smoking Gun Presents: The World's Dumbest ______" (different forms of amusing stupidity in different episodes) is a guilty pleasure (could be worse, could be Jerry Springer (barf), soap operas, or "reality" TV). I also like my cable package's digital music channels. DH and the cat are "24" fans.

We've done without cable when our finances were too tight to justify the luxury. Giving up Internet would be another matter .

I agree with MissKitty and Gab84. It's a tool, and the value or lack thereof is in how it's used. There's no inherent morality in watching TV or not, but in the shows that are chosen and whether the quantity is keeping you from more important priorities (Scripture study, service, spending actual interactive time with family, developing talents, etc.).

[Elgama]

I love TV nothing better in the evening than flopped next to my husband with milk and cookies - or gigging with my son whilst watching his favourite show or grinning when my daughter tells me all about the trees she learned about. Thanks to TV my daughter potty trained with a conversation and eats good food - I get to sleep an extra hour in the morning.

Sure it eats up my time, and I watch way too many murders in the week lol - I tend to watch TV and surf the net at the same time. We did a whole summer with TV, and Internet off and in a cupboard. We also had no car. I have to say whilst we managed and didn't miss it I was exhausted

-Charley

[havejoy]

I turned my TV off in 1978 and didn't turn it on again until 1991. I turned it on during a day time soap opera and yelled at my husband to call the station and inform them someone had accidently put in a porno show.

I turned the TV back off and have only just recently started watching football and not much else. Sometimes I catch CNN.

[Maureen]

I probably shouldn't post on this thread but I love TV, I'm a harmless addict. I find TV therapeutic. I only watch shows I like; and sometimes I can multitask - watch TV and be on the computer at the same time. I find story-telling very cathartic whether it's through books, TV or film. I rarely watch reality TV, but I do enjoy my favorite shows.

M.

[Dr T]

I'm not anti-tv but I don't get any channels at home and have not for years and years. I do watch Survivor on-line though.

[pam]

How do you watch the Lakers then?

[FunkyTown]

I don't watch TV, either. Haven't for several years, to be honest. Don't hate it, just don't care one way or the other. I buy the TV series I want to watch on DVD.

[beefche]

I probably shouldn't post on this thread but I love TV, I'm a harmless addict. I find TV therapeutic. I only watch shows I like; and sometimes I can multitask - watch TV and be on the computer at the same time. I find story-telling very cathartic whether it's through books, TV or film. I rarely watch reality TV, but I do enjoy my favorite shows.

M.

I'm with ya, Maureen. I love educational shows on History Channel, A&E, Discovery, etc. But I also like watching some entertainment shows as well. Living alone, the quiet can get to me occasionally, so I like to have the TV on sometimes just for background noise.

[Prodigal_Son]

I banned TV from our house for several years, b/c I have some people in my family who fail to respect the whole

moderation in all things

mantra.

I just turned it back on a month ago, and things are much better. I'm able to TiVo my fishing shows and NBA games and watch them that one day a month where I have the time, energy, and motivation...

There are MANY, MANY things in this life that require moderation - and TV is just one of them.

It's kinda like table salt or water. Too much will kill you, but otherwise they're fairly useful resources.

[Moksha]

Those of us in the States, do not need a license to watch TV. Might be a good idea in some cases. We have one TV network named Fox, which truly fits the bill as far as being mind numbing as MissKitty suggests. However in their defense, their Fx channel is okay.

Do we all not suspect that Hulu.Com is telling us the truth as far as TV goes? Let us all grab our torches and pitchforks before we are finally soup!!!

[Dr T]

How do you watch the Lakers then?

Last game I want to a pizza place to watch other games in the playoffs I listened to on-line. I might go to a friends to watch the game tomorrow night cause he ff's through the commercials. :)

[pam]

I banned TV from our house for several years, b/c I have some people in my family who fail to respect the whole

moderation in all things

mantra.

I just turned it back on a month ago, and things are much better. I'm able to TiVo my fishing shows and NBA games and watch them that one day a month where I have the time, energy, and motivation...

There are MANY, MANY things in this life that require moderation - and TV is just one of them.

It's kinda like table salt or water. Too much will kill you, but otherwise they're fairly useful resources.

Fishing shows? Doesn't that rank up there with watching paint dry?

[Dr T]

"Just going to Church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in your garage makes you a car." I've read that quote somewhere before. Do you know where it came from Pammy? I read it from a Christian that said that but can't remember where I read it.

[pam]

I can't remember now where I got it from. I think an email.

[pam]

But I just googled it and it's a quote from a G. K. Chesterton

[Dr T]

Oh, ok. Thanks for that Pammy. G.K. Chesterton was awesome! Great stuff.

[HEthePrimate]

Nothing against TV, though I don't sit around and watch it all day (my vision of hell involves being forced to watch daytime television programs!). After a hard day at work, it's nice to be able to relax in front of the tube for a while for a bit of *gasp!* mindless entertainment. I also watch the news and educational programming when I get the chance.

Other times I go Luddite and waste my time by reading books.

HEP