Living Without TVs

We don't watch TV in my household for the 3rd reason and because it uses up so much time. Of course I spent all that extra time on Neatorama...

gosh you make it all sound so idealistic. I just stopped watching most TV in college. I'll still catch the occasional show on hulu, and have my favorites I like to see (Battlestar Galactica). But it's got nothing to do with power, politics or family values (hah).

It's just that most TV is bad. I might as well search for random youtube videos with the kind of quality you'll find in most TV shows.

I have never owned a TV, although not for any of the reasons listed. I simply believe it is because of a transition that is starting to occur. I don't really see the point of having a TV. I can accomplish everything I want on my computer. I can write, program, watch videos, and surf the web. I guess I mainly see the TV as a device made to accomplish only one goal, and there is therefore becoming obsolete.

I stopped watching television several years ago, and there were several reasons for doing so. The first being that there really is so little original content, this was my initial reason, I was flipping through the 300+ channels we had and there was nothing on that wasn't either mind-numbingly stupid or I hadn't already seen a dozen times. After a few months I realized that I didn't want to watch television any more, most of the programs didn't appeal to me any more. I began to notice that television was all people ever talked about, they didn't talk about each other or the weather, just what they were going to watch tonight. Then I began to notice that people had stopped caring about important political issues, and it seems to me that politics at least on television is all about rooting for your favorite team. Now when somebody asks me "Have you seen...?" I tell them that I don't watch television and they look at me like I am some kind of bug-eyed monster. I find that rather disturbing. Then again I have always preferred working with my hands or reading to television.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/26/28-not-having-a-tv/

You're behind the curve.

"Non-viewers had a greater variety of things that they did with their free time than viewers did,"

Such as letting everyone they meet know that they don't own tv.

lol, yeah. I'm really annoyed by people who are so proud to tell you they don't own a TV. (and it's not a 'white thing' either. It's a snob thing. Ug, don't get me started on the stupidity of that white-people blog. Why is blatant racism ok when directed at white people?)

Anyhow, I own a TV, but I find myself watching my favorite shows online anyhow. The TV is necessary for the console video games, though! :D

I've actually stopped watching TV. It just gradually happened as I got busier and busier with work, kids, and of course, writing for Neatorama. The Interweb is much more fun ;)

I don't watch a lot tv, mostly because the content often tends to be boring and dumb. Even the Discovery channel sucks nowadays.

Not a lot to watch and hence, not a lot to miss. An occasional ''House'', ''Psych'', ''Monk'' and maybe some news when there's visuals you can't get on the net.

I think the problem is that fewer shows are aimed at families. We used to all gather to watch Carol Burnett or All in the Family or Columbo. What family wants to watch Desperate Housewives together?

I watch very little TV these days and it is entirely down to the fact that despite having more channels to watch than ever these days in the UK there is less and less worth watching.

Seasons are too long (Lost), the jokes are few (House) and the adverts many (Anything we import from the States). Sometimes you only get to see the opening credits before someone's hawking something. Maybe I have been spoilt by the BBC in that regard.

Mind you, there is always Jeremy Kyle if you want to build up a sense of righteous anger.

I think the last time I watched TV on a regular (daily) basis was probably in the late 70s/early 80s. These days I only turn it on if there's a war.

i haven't in a few months... i loved it.. but my family couldn't afford it anymore DDD=

I don't abstain from watching television, I just don't ever seem to turn it on. I waste time on the computer instead.

Every comment yet has been from someone who doesn't watch television, let's hear from someone who does.

I haven't watched telly for years, and every time I'm at someone else's place and sit in front of one I'm reminded why: because it's crap.

Evil Pundit, wouldn't that still make it on a regular basis?

When I realized that the only thing I watched was movies, I cancelled the cable and just rent movies. No stupid commercials and I can pause when I want.

I watched TV once...

Yeah, I don't watch anything on television, but with the internet in it's current state it's not hard to stay in-touch with what people are talking about.

@ evil pundit:
So you pretty much have it turned on ever since?

I usually watch news after dinner and thats it..
I do actually watch alot of series and movies, but I do so on my PC on my own terms (and without &%&*$ commercials)

TV is *SO* 1993.. =]

We stopped watching TV several years ago, too. It's not a snob thing, it's because we were sick and tired of the advertisements and the lack of decent programming. I really don't miss the constant barrage of commercials. Most of the shows we loved have either been canceled, turned cheesy, or the host was killed in a freak stingray accident. Anything else can easily be downloaded or the DVD's can be picked up for a song.

My parents are notorious TV junkies--the television runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and only goes off if a storm cuts the power. The most radical thing they will do is mute the thing when we come over, or turn on Closed Captioning. And they have one in EVERY ROOM. I have to go outside most of the time, because it makes it hard to keep up a conversation when you have this glaring screen of hypnotically shifting color beaming at you.

The funny thing is, how many people comment on my young son's incredible imagination and his storytelling abilities. He can entertain himself--and us--for hours.

--TwoDragons

I play videos. Who cares about TV? At least with a video game I'm *doing* something, and I control the outcome.

Is it seriously "surprising" to people that some people don't watch TV by choice? Saying some people don't bathe by choice would surprise me, but watching TV, a passive hobby activity?

Evil Pundit - don't you know that the revolution will not be televised?

I watch a lot of TV (Maybe 30 hours a week) It's something I really enjoy and make no apologies for it. Because of my schedule I record almost everything and then watch it at my leisure (This way I can edit commercials, newsbreaks and such) If you don't watch TV, that's great, just don't think that somehow you are more enlightened and intellectually superior because of it. Television isn't evil, it's just a diversion like the computer or video games or books (By the way, I read about 20 novels a year also so I'm not illiterate or uneducated either)

I watch TV. Too much. And afterwards I almost always feel like I just wasted a few hours of precious life. Then I do it again the next day! Possibly an addiction???

I watch tv, but we don't subscribe to cable and that limits what and when we watch. My wife grew up without a tv in the house, and if it were up to her we wouldn't have one either. My family was the opposite; the tv was always on, if for nothing other than background noise. As a result, I like to have the tv on while I'm doing other things, but it drives her crazy because if it's on it consumes her attention. My kids tend to be the same way; if it's on, they're glued to it.

One of the new shows that my kids & I enjoy is Wipeout! Funny, funny stuff; especially the hosts.

I have a HDTV. I don't have basic cable. It kinda freaks the Internet cable guys when they see that: they think I'm pirating something.

I have a TV for two reasons: videogames, and the occasional movie or TV series. I don't watch TV because my two main purposes for watching it are fulfilled by other sources: namely, information and entertainment.

I have the Internet and countless alternate information sources both mainstream and fringe. Why do I need Fox News?

I have videogames and movies. Why do I need commercial break-laden cut-for-TV movies or assinine sitcoms? Or reality TV?

TwoDragons: Most of the shows we loved have either been canceled, turned cheesy, or the host was killed in a freak stingray accident.

Oh, amen to that! You made me smile and sigh in sadness at the same time.

Maybe it's also because there isn't jack shiite on TV worth watching...?

It's not that I don't have TV, but I don't watch one.

They should be a little more specific. I use my TV to watch movies I get from Netflix, but I do not watch regularly broadcast television programs. Is this what they mean?

I think the problem may be in how people define 'watching TV'. If you mean, do I sit down at the scheduled broadcast hour and spend half or more of the program time watching advertisements for the 3 shows I do take time to watch? Well, the answer is no.

Do I use my laptop and iPhone to watch shows when I want and commercial free? Hell yes. Do I watch shows from overseas with *usually* half-decent subtitles (anime, Kdrama, etc.) which are not delayed, dubbed, and repackaged to suit the 'typical US audience/western tastes'? Hells yes.

And yes, programming today is so poor there are not enough words to express the vacuous, banal, steaming s***pile which continues to ooze out of Los Angeles.

Growing up I watched a LOT of TV (pre-internet). In college, I didn't watch because I couldn't afford cable, and was too busy anyway. Then I moved in with my boyfriend, who didn't have one because he can't pull himself away from even the most insipid stuff and consciously didn't want to be like his dad. We got basic cable eventually (my idea), and just hated most of the formulaic programming and the ads, God the ads. In high school they taught us how radio and tv were initially invented as advertising vessels, I've never forgotten that. My dad is an ad man, so I always tried not to bite the hand that fed me, but it's just sick how pervasive, flat out misleading and pandering it is. Anyone who loves tv, that's cool, just be rationally skeptical about what you see in between. Protein in your conditioner won't do anything to your hair, your hair is dead skin.

Now we watch some select stuff (The Office, Project Runway, How It's Made), but it's very hard not to get sucked into watching hours at a time while criticizing it at the same time. He built a free DVR, so we don't watch commercials or get sucked into whatever is on next. Anytime we watch tv in real-time we can't stand the ads anymore, so we just don't.

Soon the internet will encompass TV, right? I can't really get all uppity about not watching TV since I spend hours online, but I do think choosing my own interactive content is better than watching whatever programming is on the box in front of me, and at least here I can usually ignore the ads. I also like the fluidity of links, especially on wikipedia (grain of salt there, too).

I used to watch loads of TV when I was in advertising. Along absorbing every other type of media I could. This habit stuck even after I left advertising though. Looking at media as a whole, it starts to become one big piece of art to me with many different layers to explore.

Anyway, land lady cut off the cable in the spring, and I decided not to put it back up on my own dime. Thought I'd see how well I'd fair without it.

My life and the way I conceptualize some things has definitely changed without the constant exposure to advertising. I find I'm much more susceptible to an ad when I DO come across one now.

Still, now I find myself spending too much time at the computer, surfing and watching tv on it instead. My attention span is nil because of the over load of media choices in one spot.

Personally, I'm going to bring the tv cable back. At least then I did a multitude of other chores and respectable activities while it was on in the background.

None of my friends or I watch tv, and it is safe to say we are all very liberal, but hardly "crunchy". I just don't enjoy tv, it's so predictable, the ads make me crazy, and I just feel like my time is spent better elsewhere. We are all highly creative and intelligent, and it would be a shame to turn all our excellent conversations and activities to talking about tv shows.
I did have one person ask me once, upon hearing that I don't watch tv, if I went to the movies every night. She was baffled that I didn't choose to spend my evenings watching some sort of moving picture.

my tv blew up 3 years ago and i'm to cheap to buy a new one. too much reality crap on any way.

I stopped watching TV in 1990. I was in university and I didn't have time for it, I couldn't afford a TV or cable either. If anything comes out on TV that I want to see (Trailer Park Boys, Battlestar Galactica, ...), then I wait until it is out on DVD and watch the whole season at once.

I'd probably fall into the socially liberal but fiscally conservative stereotype. I don't watch because there's nothing worth watching (that can't wait for DVDs) and I find that I'm happier and calmer without the anxiety inducing advertising and "news".

I work in television, and i love it. People watching television helps me support my family.

Most people I know can't understand why I don't watch tv anymore. I stopped because it seriously annoys me and there are things I'd rather be doing instead.

The longer I go without watching it, the more irritating some things about it become. 'Laugh tracks' on sitcoms, for example, are incredibly annoying after a year or so of not being exposed to them. Commercials drive me crazy. Wading through an hour of news when I can get what I want to know in a few minutes of reading online makes no sense.

Add a lack of much worth watching, and I'm glad to do about anything else other than flip through 200+ channels for 20 minutes, trying in vain to find something that interests me.

No TV by choice...
With more and more streaming programs / videos on Internet, I feel I'm back to square one ;)

I don't watch as much TV as I used to. I'm on the computer more (not sure if that's a good thing). During the summer, it's a lot easier to go with less TV. There's nothing on!

I have lived for the past two years without a TV and I love it. The problem now is internet, in every sense better and more addictive for information freaks like me.

Whats a TV? I stick to my mistress the internet.

Well, I have a tv, but it only goes on when we (me and my best friend) want to watch a movie or a dvd (documentaries sometimes). As far as those people wondering what it is that we DO if not sitting passively in front of the screen, well, for instance, we are working on shows for our theater company (rehearsals or performances almost every night) or between shows, writing/editing/marketing (I have 3 free-lance jobs that involve editing or writing or suchlike), cooking fabulous meals, reading books, volunteering for a variety of non-profits, meditating, playing with the cats -- in other words, engaged in real life (well, I guess you can call theatre "real" life -- at least it's got live people to interact with) instead of just being a sponge, just sitting there looking at shadows on a screen -- illusions instead of reality. Come on people, it's not snobbery -- I used to watch a bit, especially when my husband was dying, and I would keep him company as he watched the Food Network and Chuck Norris (go figure!), but after he died, I realized that there were just too many other fascinating activities luring me away from the tube. I'm not up on a high horse, just honestly not really interested in what's happening in that world. Which is ironic, since one of my writing projects was a sitcom I developed with a friend (that never went anywhere since neither of us had any Hollywood connections). I read the newspaper, listen to NPR and surf the web for information, look at clips on YouTube sometimes (we love MadTV), but haven't the patience, I guess, to just sit -- I'm always thinking of something else I should be doing, so tend to just do it and never even think of turning on the tv. We actually were planning to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, but just are not in the habit of turning on the tv, so missed it. Oh well, no big deal. Ephemera is all it is. Not anything lasting or significant, really, if you are honest about it. Even good tv is pretty insubstantial compared to art. Is it possible for anything on tv to even approach art? I don't know. Maybe something on PBS occasionally. A great documentary (but we tend to get those from Netflix so we can watch them at our leisure). Mostly, not. I don't plan to get a digital converter box (although maybe for the 3 times annually we DO turn on the box -- for the Tonys, the Oscars, the Emmies)? We'll see.

Too bad you weren't learning how to break one paragraph up into several others, Dolly. I might have actually read your comment.

Okay, I started to, but you began to climb that high horse and I gave up.

I don't watch TV either, but not because I have any sort of objection to it. I just fell out of the habit while living in a house without any reliable reception. I grew up as an avid tv watcher but life without tv isn't a big change at all.

I gave up TV in 2003 when I relocated to a new city. I realized at the time that I was paying $125/mo for digital cable and internet, and watched a staggering 2 shows. Whose Line is it Anyway and Dave Atell's Insomniac.

I use the internet pretty regularly so I do still pay for that, and any shows I care for (The Office, South Park, It's Always Sunny in Philly) I catch online or buy on DVD. Since I stopped wasting away watching TV, I've gone back to school and am almost done with my first AA degree. :D Kill your TV, people!

My wife and I haven't owned a television in over a decade. I understand now, when I see it in a bar or whatnot, why they call it television programming.

How do you want to live your life? What do you want to accomplish? I bet you didn't just say "sit on my butt eating junk food and staring at a stupid show". Stop watching tv 3+ hours a day and you just might get some of whatever you did say done.

Is it odd to have a 42" Plasma TV but not have a cable connection to it? All I wanted it for was movies and for displaying photos.

I have just given up on Cox's DVR. Pretty much useless when compared to even a TIVO. I'm hoping to create a box which uses Sage or Myth and use it as a video jukebox.

Now all i need are a few terabyte raid drive arrays. (that don't drown out the TV)

I've got to comment on what Dolly said.
You work on shows for theater yet you say, "Even good TV is pretty insubstancial compared to art." Says who? What is classified as art?
You read, meditate and play with the cats and describe that as "being engaged in real life". Well, if you say so I guess.
When watchin TV "you're always thinking of something else you should be doing" but listening to NPR and watching YouTube videos doesn't cause the same reaction?
You have got to be on that high horse you claim you're not on, otherwise you couldn't look that far down your nose at us peons watching television.

I stopped watching TV about the time my kids started. They'd beg me not to come into the room because I'd cause the program they were watching to be interrupted by commercial breaks. As they got older, they begged me not to come in because the DVD would start skipping or freeze up as soon as I sat down.

I just gave it up, although I do miss COPS reruns.

(I'll be specific since there seems to be a bit of ambiguity here)
I stopped watching 99.9999% broadcast television about 7 years ago, and I primarily use the TV for watching movies from Netflix. The other 0.0001% of the time the TV is not on a DVD is because there is a hurricane or tropical storm nearby me (Miami) and having the TV on to see possible evacuation orders is easier than listening to someone describe it on the radio.

I'll even up the snobbery a little bit in that the ONLY terrestrial radio I have listened to in the past two years is NPR ;-P However I do listen to streaming internet music, but I only loosely call that as *radio*.

Oh, and why did I stop? I'd say a mix of #1 and #2.

I'm with TVorNotTV. I watch Lost, Supernatural, and the Simpsons on TV, but since I don't have cable I watch like ten other shows on the Internet and DVD. Does this mean that I only watch 2.5 hours of TV a week? Of course not.

My family turned off cable when Fear Factor came on at all hours of the day. Every. Day. That was a while ago! But we still enjoy the good bits of TV. There are so many ways to take only what you want now, that we've made cable sort of obsolete in our home. We can watch political debates online, rent seasons of hit shows and catch up on TV's contribution to pop culture through blogs. All without the cost of cable or Tivo. Of course, our friends still think we're nuts.