My wife and I were both “TV addicts”. We could watch TV after work and the next day not remember exactly what we watched. So about 15 years ago we said “Screw this shit” and got rid of TV all together. Our boys have grown up without TV in the house and that has meant we’ve spent a lot more time with them each night. They are now both in high school and neither one has a desire to watch TV when the opportunity arises. Both are very active - year around swim team (and HS swim team), HS basketball team, and the HS Academic team. So even if they wanted to watch TV there isn’t much time now of it (I’m bragging but I’m proud of them).
The only downside to not having a TV is that I’ve lost touch with the ability to enjoy a game on TV. When I do have the opportunity to watch an NFL/NBA, etc game I can barely sit still. I’d much rather just read about it in the paper, Internet later.
after 6 or seven years without, i hooked it up last season when NESN (new england sports network) became available in the lower end packages.
i have to say the dvr has completely changed how i watch tv and i rarely watch a live feed unless it’s a game. it’s much more purposefulthat way -no mindless channel surfing . i just use the search feature and type in the topics i like and set record for that stuff. sometimes i go for weeks without looking at the tv but when i need to kick back with it i’ve got hours or stuff recorded in my own personal library of interests. i always have some golf on there that i can nap to.
Man, a lot of anti-TV folks here, I’m surprised. I watch it myself. Some days very little, some days quite a bit. Far more moderate than a lot of people though. Back in college I watched TV very little - I did other stuff instead. Now that I am in law school I watch TV a little more. My brain is so fried when I get home from school and I’m so sick of reading I don’t even want to pick up a magazine - so I watch the tube for a bit. I find laying on the couch watching a little TV to be very relaxing - especially after a day of law school BS and a hard lift or good run.
Personally, I don’t see it as a source of brain rot or anything else. There are certain shows I like (Boston Legal, ER, some stuff on sci-fi) - other than those, I’ll watch some news or weather, thats about it. The exception, of course, is football season. I’m a football fanatic (both college and pro), and spend far more time in front of the TV in the fall because of it =P. In the summer, when the shows I like aren’t on (and when I’m working instead of in school, and am not so drained), sometimes I’ll watch only an hour all week.
So, I don’t see it as a problem for me. I honestly don’t see why folks on here are so vehemently anti-TV. Yeah you can spend too much time doing it - but thats true of virtually anything you do (even lifting!). If its in moderation, I don’t see it as a problem. To me its a valid source of entertainment - sure, there is a LOT of crap on TV… but there’s some really good stuff on too.
[quote]Sniper99 wrote:
I honestly don’t see why folks on here are so vehemently anti-TV. Yeah you can spend too much time doing it - but thats true of virtually anything you do (even lifting!). If its in moderation, I don’t see it as a problem. To me its a valid source of entertainment - sure, there is a LOT of crap on TV… but there’s some really good stuff on too.[/quote]
It’s not the shows I hate, sniper, it’s the fucking commercials. I’m the same way with the radio. They just aggravate the hell outta me.