Switching Off
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“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book” - Groucho Marx
For the first time since 1984, I will be living in a house without a television connection. Today morning, after mulling about it for a week with the spouse, I called and canceled our satellite TV connection. No more “Survivor,” “Amazing Race,” “Naked Chef,” “Simon Cowell,” and most importantly, no more Donald! We have been emancipated.
This was a big decision and we were wondering if we should experiment for a while by not switching on the telly for say, a month. We realized that this wouldn’t work and we would eventually go back to switching it on and sneaking a glimpse of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, at the very least. So, the decision was made to stop it completely. We haven’t been watching that many shows anyway this year but this total blackout will ensure more candlelit dinners, reading, music listening, and other productive activities. Or so, we hope. Last year, I read more books than any other since leaving high school and I hope to read more this year. Now only if I have the courage to walk away from broadband at home.
Stay tuned for more updates as we cope with this drastic lifestyle change.
Resistance is futile. See you guys when you return to the dark side. Ah ha ha ha …
Bravo! I have been contemplating something similar but not so abrubt. The only thing I watch on TV is sports and CSI..but there is ’show-creep’ going on. Thanks to the DVR, I record a variety of shows and watch them. I have to find a way to enjoy my reading and family time more without doing what ‘anupcs’ is doing.
Does no TV include not watching DVDs either ? Also, did you read this http://www.turnoffyourtv.com
As John Stossel would say “Give me a break”.
Indeed. If people have the discipline to watch only a few shows and only those shows (maybe recorded with a DVR to skip over the mind numbing ads), then you don’t need to turn off your TV. There are (believe me, there are) a few shows on television that can be considered as art and thus worth watching. The “show-creep” that I had was watching a bunch of reality TV shows. Not good.
No and no. DVDs will stay because I love movies and enjoying a movie with your significant other can be its own reward. Besides, I paid quite a bit of money for my home theater system. So, it’s not going away anytime soon. That said, I am resisting the urge to “upgrade” my movie rental plan to 5-out at a time from the current 3-out.
In the past 4 years, I have watched almost no TV (though my kids do watch TV). In the past 3 months I have started watching some more sports and two shows (Lost and The Office) which my DVR records.
As for giving up broadband, don’t think I can do that.
Give me life, liberty and broadband or give me death.
Yes, broadband is indeed difficult to get rid of. At the very least, one feels the need to blog on these pages every so often. But we are implementing a new no-computer policy between 7pm & 10pm on week days and none at all on Saturdays. We shall see how long that lasts.
During the first night without TV while husband was out for scotch tasting, I spent more time eating and thinking of food. No food channel, no travel chanel, no Dr. Phil to distract my attention.
Bravo indeed! You’ll notice soon enough that your life will be so much richer without television. If you have video games, you should throw them out as well… another completely useless use of one’s time, in my opinion. But do update us a month from now.
It’s been a month and we have survived. There have been occasional mumblings to have at least basic cable back on but so far, we have been resisting the temptation. The funny thing is that we were recently on TV and didn’t get to see it. (They had interviewed us last week at a Costco parking lot about the rising gas prices.) We have had friends call and tell us that they saw us on TV. The irony of it all.
[...] With the World Cup in full swing, most people are glued to TV sets (though not me) watching the Owens fall and the Kloses soar. The Economist has a well-written editorial on why the World Cup is better than the Olympics. The article argues that unlike the Olympics, where the dominating teams are also leading global political powers, football has a whole different heirarchy with only one true superstar team (Brazil). Quote: …a winning football team needs not just athleticism but also a spark of creativity and style that cannot be manufactured by sport’s central planners. Even taking drugs does not appear to be much help for footballers. [...]
[...] This is a few months old but it’s quite cool. Since we don’t have TV anymore, I have to rely on the Internet to see commercials. This Pepsi commercial stars SNL great Jimmy Fallon and Indie superstar Parker Posey. [...]
Six months later, we are back into the Cable TV world with a vengeance. The wife insists that we need Television again. Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray beckons. The new avatar is loaded with the latest and greatest: DVR, HDTV, HBO, the shits.