Do you think you could give up television?

[terrya]

I have the television on right now. A lot of times, it's just backround noise. I'm not really paying attention to it...but it's on nevertheless. I just turn it on out of habit. It's second nature.

I'm not sure I could just unplug my television and get rid of it completely. Once you're parked in front of the television when you're a kid and you grow up with it...it's a part of life itself.

Or hell, maybe I'm making too much out of it.

[ohiosmith]

1. Never. Are you nuts?

[billyskank]

2. i DID give up television

I once noticed how, back when I did still watch TV, how once the TV was switched on it was impossible to turn it off until you went to bed (or out). Otherwise, once it was on, it stayed on. It demands your attention, even if there is nothing but shit on (which there invariably is).

When I joined the Krishnas that started taking up large amounts of my time, and I found I became completely uninterested in the TV any more, and it spend almost all the time switched off. Eventually I got rid of it entirely and thus reclaimed about 6 square feet of my living room. Haven't looked back, except for a couple of weeks while the World Cup was on.

[redqueen]

3. Oh hell yes.

I used to hardly ever watch any, then I had kids. Heh. My sister used to be the TV addict, and I was the one asking her "what the hell are you watching? it sucks!" now we've switched roles. She has no TV, and I talk to her about how great Olbermann, Scrubs, Jon Stewart, Colbert, Earl, and the Office are. :P

I'm about ready to disconnect it and just watch DVDs of our favorite shows when they come out. The advertising makes me almost violently angry sometimes.

Also, habits. Their dad does that turn it on and leave it on thing. Grates on my nerves like nobody's business. I'm so the grump in our family. :(

[skygazer]

4. I pretty much have

Though I never really got into it too much. As a kid, I liked my cartoons and I always watched Disney and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (who remembers that one?). But I spent more time outdoors than I did in front of the tv.

I've gone for years at a time without even owning one and now, though I have one, I don't get cable where I live, nor can I get satellite because I haven't got the exposure for it. So I have an antenna and get a few fuzzy channels and I don't miss it at all. I sometimes rent tv series from Netflix - I do love Star Trek and lately I've been watching Arrested Development but mostly, I'm more apt to pick up a book or go for a walk. There are times when the tv doesn't get turned on for days at a time (and then only because my SO turns it on).

[buddhamama]

5. i have given it up

i went nearly seven yrs without it. i watch television now but i am not addicted to it.

[Sanity Claws]

6. Take it one day at a time

That's what recovering alcoholics are told. ;)
I don't think you have to stop entirely but you can certainly cut back. Can you live with just watching a favorite show, or the world series? Or whatever is super special to you? Once you stop watching, you find other things to do and they become your new habits.
Try forcing yourself not to watch tv for a week and see whether your urge to turn it on has decreased.

[redqueen]

7. Oh, Aqua Teen reference!

Meatwad: I thought you said TV was bad.

Frylock: It is, but we fuckin need it!

[graywarrior]

8. I didn't have tv for over a year

I didn't miss it. Once I started watching again, it was like a drug.

[LeftyMom]

9. It broke. I didn't bother to replace it.

I never really used it anyhow.

[hippywife]

10. I pretty much already have.

The only TV I watch anymore is PBS and another PBS-like local college station, and then only when something really interests me. The husband always has it on and insists on watching the news. Alot of time he has it on but turned down while he listens to NPR or watches Democracy Now on-line. Haven't figured out yet why it needs to be on. :shrug:

[Mike03]

11. TV Yes, but Radio--No

I never really liked television after about the age of 14 and when I moved out on my own never bothered to get cable. If some huge thing happened, like the Los Angeles Riots or 9-11, I could get the major networks, but other than that (oh, and "X Files" and "Millennium") I rarely watched it. But I'm a total radio junky, especially now with XM and SIRIUS. It's always on, day and night, usually to talk radio or news.

[Zomby Woof]

12. Yes

I base this mainly on experience. For three years of my childhood, from ages 8 to 11, our family went without television when we lived overseas. The country we lived in had one station, and our American TV (they still made them in America back then) did not work on the electrical system, even with a transformer, for very long without blowing out.

We had two sources for news and entertainment: Armed Forces Radio, and the Stars & Stripes newspaper. The newspaper had the current date, but the news was delayed three days, because it was wired from Germany. The radio was the only way to reliably get current news stories.

It was worth it. We did a lot of reading. My imagination had plenty of free time to flourish. I played at the nearby beach, explored the woods behind our house, rode my bike for miles every day. I absorbed music. I had many hobbies. We had conversations around the dinner table. Our lives did not suffer wihout the box, as lives before television existed went along fine as well.

Having said that, I watch television like anyone else because it's there, and I am an admitted news and history junkie. I enjoy sports. I love movies. So although I know I could live without it and be happy, I allow it to be a normal part of my life. But if circumstances should occur which cause me to give it up, I could handle the loss with little difficulty.

[khashka]

13. Yup. Sure did. And I advise it.

I gave up TV, newspapers, books that included any act of violence, and music that celebrated violence or cheap sex. I did it for six months.

One of the happiest six months of my life. Free of stories of horror, violence, abject stupidity and irresponsible sex..... I actually felt good.Life was good. Not that those things didn't exist..... they did and I should work against them. But I wasn't drowning in the misery of it all. And it made me happy and made me strong. And I saw how insidious it is.


Khash.

[Mike03]

20. Gave up news entirely?

I want to do that, but I feel guilty if I stop paying attention to the news--as if I'm not a good person if I'm not "aware" of what's going on. I'm sure I got this message from my parents, who definitely associate being aware of every single event in the news with being a responsible American. I've come to the conclusion that that compulsion is not very healthy, but it's a hard habit to break.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

26. No cheap sex?

Not even porn or erotica?

[khashka]

39. Perhaps I misspoke.... or perhaps I didn't

No, of course I didn't give up porn! Or not all of it. But I focused on stuff that was respectful and life-affirming.... which meant lots and lots of "made for and by lesbians" porn.

Khash.

[azmouse]

14. Probably not.

I don't watch the big network shows much at all. They suck.

But I really like watching movies. Saw 'Sunset Blvd' and 'Born Yesterday' last night. I would have missed them without a tv.

[johnnie]

15. Could I? Yeah, if I had to, Would I, Nope

I used to watch a lot less of it when I was a teen, but now I have it on all the time. What would be a reason to get rid of it? To spend quality time with myself? There is a lot of stuff on there that I enjoy watching. What is the benefit of not having a TV?

[nosillies]

16. Aaack, never! But I feel I have a good excuse.

I sometimes work in the entertainment industry, so I try to justify it to myself by saying it's an essential job tool.

It is not my crack, it is not my crack, it is not my crack...must go get a fix.

[Deja Q]

17. Once I find the love of my life, I shall mothball the lot.

The sad part, the love of my life (so far) is "Doctor Who"... :crazy:

And has been for over 27 years. Note, I'm chronologically 34.

And given how humans are not as predictable as old television, one would think a life-long marriage would be better. :shrug:

[Fox Mulder]

18. There's nothing else to do in the town I live in.

If I gave up the tv, I'd have nothing. It's the only thing keeping me sane.

[Sequoia]

19. What! and miss back-to-back reruns of ER I can tape on TNT!

No way. But damn why did they have to kill off Julia!? (She wanted to go to Yale) That just made me sad. It was horrid. Why couldn't she just go to another hospital? That and the parents of the little kids who died after the car accident in the same episode.

"All in the Family" (#127, 02/17/00)
Summary/review
"Be Still My Heart" (#126, 02/10/00)

http://www.digiserve.com/er/episodes/#s6 (just in case you're interested)

See, I never watched it in prime time 'cause it was past my bedtime.

And Star Trek TOS!!....where would we be without that show telling us what the future was going to be!!

[KamaAina]

21. Baby steps...

Disney Channel. Then ABC. Then ESPN, 2, Classic... :evilgrin:

[peacefreak]

22. I pulled cable a couple of years ago

& that cut my usage dramatically. I can go for days without turning it on now. Don't miss it at all. Too many books to read, music to listen to. And besides that addiction has been replaced by this DU one!

[crim son]

23. I could. I have gone months without watching.

But for me it's a distraction and it's been a while since I've gone a week without watching one or two shows.

[Benfea]

24. Yep. Without a problem.

My TV viewing has gone up in recent years to 4 or so hours a week, if that's any indication to you. Mostly I just watch Battlestar Galactica, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, then on top of that I will occasionally catch The Daily Show, Countdown with Kieth Olbermann, and maybe a cooking show.

[Roon]

25. I gave up television a few years ago

I still have a TV card hooked into my PC with a cable feed...just in case.....

[liontamer]

27. already have

I sometimes miss certain shows, but I don't think about it much.

[LaraMN]

28. Yes, but I'd have to give up my husband too, then.

And I need him to change the oil in my car and kill spiders.

[Deja Q]

29. I'm good at killing spiders,

but if you did leave him, I can't change oil.

I don't even do windows. :rofl:

[electron_blue]

30. Yep. I grew up with it, and gave it up a few years back

15 years ago, however, I would have had severe withdrawal symptoms had someone pulled the plug LOL

[dolo amber]

31. Sure...happily

As long as I didn't have to give up TV shows on DVD. ;)

[Sacajawea]

32. TV free since 1970....and doing fine, thank you.

I figured that since I wasted my childhood and adolescence sitting in front of a TV, perhaps it would be better if I didn't waste the rest of my life that way. So, once I began living on my own, I simply never bought one.

Of course, when I'm somewhere where there IS a TV, I'm instantaneously mesmerized (which is why I don't own one).

[u4ic]

33. I watch it very little

the news, documentaries, the occasional Britcom and the rare occasions that it's on, equestrian events.

The last time I sat down and watched any kind of tv was about 2 weeks ago.

[Gormy Cuss]

34. In a minute.

Just don't take my PC away.

[Mutley]

35. Sure, if I had to.

I probably wouldn't give it up as long as I could afford to have it, or lived in an area that provides it.

I'd miss the Weather Channel, the Science Channel and the Simpsons if I lost them, but I'd survive... somehow. :P

[jane_pippin]

36. Nope. I love Ricky Gervais' writing too much to be without it.

And I'm too impatient to wait for Extras to come out on DVD, and too cheap to buy it anyway. It's a sea of crap on TV, sure, but there are some things I really like and I don't want to give those things up if I don't have to.

I'm also "guilty" of using it as background noise, but I'm ok with that.

[dolo amber]

38. Plus, Jason Lee is your pretend moustachioed boyfriend

:D

[jane_pippin]

50. And then there's that.

:thumbsup:

[Jamastiene]

37. I feel the same way.

I grew up with television worth watching. Now, it's all garbage. Recently, I watched the Diff'rent Strokes re-enactment/movie. In that movie, one of the producers made a comment that getting rid of real actors who have to be paid a high salary and replacing them with unknowns was going to be the wave of the future. Well, now we have that with almost every other show being reality shows. I only watch a few of them, but tonight I realized that there is a numbers game involved in at least a few of the reality shows. I have watched Big Brother for just 3 of its 7 years and from what I have seen, only the sleaziest of the bunch can win and there are always at least a few who are not really challengers at all. That kind of stacks the odds really. When alliances are formed, the "bros before ho's" mentality comes into play all too often too. It's demeaning to women and the worst thing about it is that women either voluntarily let those types of guys use them or they are forced to if they want to win. It's disgusting to me. I might not even bother with the only other reality show I usually watch besides BB. The latest Survivor they have been advertising looks like a mini race war in the jungle. I don't want to see that. I don't want to see any race war. It's sick. Forget it.

Could I give up on television right now? Absolutely. I'm always sorry when I bother to sit down and watch it. I realized something else about today's television as well. Recently, I watched an old movie from the 80s called "The Day After."" I had recorded it complete with commercials off ABC. I noticed there were way fewer commercials back then. It was remarkable how quickly I fast-forwarded through the commercials on that tape. I'd say there were 1/3 the number of commercials compared to what we now have to endure just for cheap crappy television. It has gotten to the point where it is not worth it. To many cons and too few pros.

[FILAM23]

40. Never

until I have to watch football on pay per view

[Liberalynn]

41. I have to be honest NO

I don't watch as much as I used too, but I like watching Nip/Tuck, NCIS, and BBC America. Got to admit too, sometimes when the anxiety levels a bit high, turning on home improvement shows help. They are just sort of soothing, non controversial, normal every day stuff that is comforting to me.

I was a vid kid growing up. It never hurt my grades, I didn't get into trouble, I continued to read books, and I actually learned about a few things from entertainment programs.

My eleventh grade history teacher was amazed when he asked what the Miranda warning was, and I raised my hand, and started reciting it. He asked me, how I knew the correct name, and I said I heard it called that on Starsky and Hutch. I also told him I knew about the Geneva Convention because of Hogan's Heroes. He shook his head, laughed and said, "And they say television isn't educational." It became kind of standing joke between him and I.

[mitchum]

42. I did 6 years ago, and I was raised in a family where there was a set...

in every freakin' room of the house

[SoyCat]

43. Gave it up and haven't looked back

[spindrifter]

44. I have given TV up from time to time.

Even now I don't watch much. The thing I find, though, is that giving it up means you also are missing some of the cultural icons of whatever period you are not using TV. For example, I haven't the faintest idea about Seinfeld, Friends and numerous other programs that my colleagues have enjoyed and spent lots of time talking about. But that's ok.

[doc03]

45. Rarely watch it except for the evening news

and occasionally Keith Oberman and sometimes the Daily Show.

[chaska]

46. TV as background noise is a major annoyance....

I went to my favorite burrito place this morning for breakfast (nothing better than a burrito for breakfast). I'm sitting there enjoying the quiet when these two pistol totin' prison guards come in (I have no idea why they were there) and turn on the tv and then proceed to completely ignore it as they carried on an equally annoying (and equally banal) conversation.

TV as background noise is like someone wearing a stank ass perfume that you can't get away from.

I hate TV.

[Broken_Hero]

47. not forever....

and by televesion to you mean movies as well? And if thats the case, than no, never....as for cable/satelitte I have gone without it many times, and always enjoyed having it, rather than not having it.

[huskerlaw]

48. Hell no.

Nor would I want to.

It's entertaining. It's cheap. It allows you to have conversations with co-workers and friends. It keeps you from sounding like an elitist asshole.

I love TV. I admit it freely. I can't wait for the new season to start. In fact, I got all excited today because Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip finally showed up on my DVR.

Now if only we could do something about that reality crap...

[Redstone]

49. Done that already. Years ago.

Redstone

[Rowdyboy]

51. Could have been a GREAT poll Terry. I couldn't....In 1954, as a baby...

I was put on a sofa to watch an tv at my grandparents. I've been hooked ever since.

That said, when we frequently visit my guy's mom's house, we have only NBC, ABC and ETV with no computer access. Its a bitch.

[everythingsxen]

52. To quote Frylock from Aquateen Hunger Force...

Meatwad: Frylock, I thought you said Television was bad for us?
Frylock: Oh, it is. But we f***in' need it!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

53. My dear terrya.........

I would have no problem giving up broadcast TV.........

But I'd want to keep the set to watch my DVD's on.........

As long as I have my internet connection, I am happy!

:woohoo:

[Neoma]

54. Sure I could.

But i'd need to rent all the seasons of my favorite shows for awhile. Scrubs, buffy the vampire slayer, Malcom in the middle, 4400, monk, Firefly, Farscape, 3rd Rock from the Sun, That 70's show, Futurama, House, CSI, Daily show, Monty Python, The muppets, Dead Like Me, Northern Exposure... etc

[hickman]

55. No shame. Never be ashamed of watching TV.

Elitists will tell you that nothing can be learned from TV. Bull. I saw House of Flying Daggers on TV.

[pokerfan]

56. Easier to give up TV than the internet

I could live without televised sports. It would be hard, but box scores along with radio would tide me over.

But no f'ing way am I parting with the internet!

And I don't mean the burgeoning video internet, just the plain old words and still pics on a page internet. I'm saying the internet of even a couple years ago.

[politicat]

57. Save for DVDs, we have.

We can get expensive cable, or a dish or nothing. We had a dish for a while, but when I realized I wasn't watching it, I gave the dish back. It just wasn't worth $60 a month for The Daily Show a couple times a week.

When I want to hear something now, I listen to audiobooks. I've learned a lot and they let me get other things done while still indulging my affection for books.

[last_texas_dem]

58. Yeah

Especially in the last couple of years, I've gotten where I watch very little TV, and the bulk of my watching has come from hanging out with other people who had it on. Living by myself, I occasionally put it on for background noise, but I listened to music much more often. I haven't really had to make much of an effort to not watch it, because there's just very little TV offers that I care much about. I sometimes watch TV news, but there's nothing on it I can't find out somewhere else; I can watch C-SPAN, though, and it's the most likely channel I'd put on for background noise. Other than that, it's just the occasional movie or rerun of a show; I don't really have any new shows I watch. Oh yeah, and I can just about always start watching documentaries on VH1, but I can take or leave those as well. I guess my point is, even though I have stuff on TV I don't mind watching, and some stuff I like watching, there really just isn't anything I feel like I flat-out have to see. I probably wouldn't get rid of it, though, just in case some major event happened; I'd probably want to have access to the 24-hour coverage for whatever reason. So I guess I'd keep the TV, just unplugged and in the closet, maybe!

[tjwmason]

59. Yes.

Without much trouble.

If I watch television on any given day, it's most likely dozing off to Newsnight whilst reading something.

I've got a fair few DVDs which I'd watch on my computer from time-to-time, but I could easily cope without television.

I didn't have one for the entire time that I was at university, that didn't bother me at all.

[Hosnon]

60. I have...no t.v. I watch if at a friend's place. nt

[NewWaveChick1981]

61. No. I have, however, cut down dramatically on the time spent

watching tv. I only watch worthwhile things and leave it off when it would just be for background noise.

[YankeyMCC]

62. Not absolutely

I already don't watch it very much but there are good things that I very much enjoy like the new BSG, Mythbusters, Iron Cheif.

And it's still an important medium for information in our society so I wouldn't want to completely cut myself off.

[ThomCat]

63. I did for 6 years. And even now

I only watch it a couple of hours per month, max.