Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post

Tasaio · 02-20-2007, 12:46 AM

I agree with everyone -- just get rid of your TV!

I was raised on television. I couldn't go by without getting the latest episode of Coronation Street or Xena.

But then I realized how frustrated I was, since I wanted to watch entire storylines at once. Getting snippets of a story in 30-minute segments was maddening for me.

So I stopped watching TV, and started watching DVDs.

For example, I took this week off as my own holiday (I'm working at home), and decided to watch the Babylon 5 series.

So far, it's very good. I highly recommend getting the DVDs (or rent them from Netflix).

The key here is that I couldn't have followed the show if I watched it according to my TV's scheduling -- I need to watch the episodes in order, and all at once, to fully understand it.

There are several benefits of watching DVDs versus TV:

- You're in control; you can watch as little or as much as you want

- Since you can watch the episodes all at once, you don't waste time wondering what's going to happen "next week"; this was something I was very guilty of as a child, since the story was so important to me, I'd often daydream endlessly about how things would turn out

- Since you watch the episodes just once, and in order, you feel that you've "finished" a show, and have no desire to watch reruns

- You can stop anytime you want for a break; you don't have to wait for a commercial

- You don't have to wait *through* a commercial either; all that horrible advertising doesn't exist

- You can save images from the DVD onto your computer (great for wallpapers!)

- Perhaps most importantly, you can choose when and why you watch something; you don't have to let the TV station decide for you

This last point is key, because you're no longer goverened by what's currently "popular". For instance, I understand 24 and Battlestar Galactica are excellent shows. I have never seen an episode of either, and I don't intend to right now -- I'm going to wait until the series finish.

02-20-2007, 12:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
Tasaio Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 273	I agree with everyone -- just get rid of your TV! I was raised on television. I couldn't go by without getting the latest episode of Coronation Street or Xena. But then I realized how frustrated I was, since I wanted to watch entire storylines at once. Getting snippets of a story in 30-minute segments was maddening for me. So I stopped watching TV, and started watching DVDs. For example, I took this week off as my own holiday (I'm working at home), and decided to watch the Babylon 5 series. So far, it's very good. I highly recommend getting the DVDs (or rent them from Netflix). The key here is that I couldn't have followed the show if I watched it according to my TV's scheduling -- I need to watch the episodes in order, and all at once, to fully understand it. There are several benefits of watching DVDs versus TV: - You're in control; you can watch as little or as much as you want - Since you can watch the episodes all at once, you don't waste time wondering what's going to happen "next week"; this was something I was very guilty of as a child, since the story was so important to me, I'd often daydream endlessly about how things would turn out - Since you watch the episodes just once, and in order, you feel that you've "finished" a show, and have no desire to watch reruns - You can stop anytime you want for a break; you don't have to wait for a commercial - You don't have to wait through a commercial either; all that horrible advertising doesn't exist - You can save images from the DVD onto your computer (great for wallpapers!) - Perhaps most importantly, you can choose when and why you watch something; you don't have to let the TV station decide for you This last point is key, because you're no longer goverened by what's currently "popular". For instance, I understand 24 and Battlestar Galactica are excellent shows. I have never seen an episode of either, and I don't intend to right now -- I'm going to wait until the series finish.