Giving Up TV (Blog)

[Andrew Brunelle]

I was just curious of what your experiences are from giving up TV. I have almost completely done this, except for one show I watch every Wednesday on Comedy Central: South Park. But besides that, I don't watch hardly any, but my family watches it somewhat, so I often hear it anyway and I don't want to be alone in my house not being able to speak to them because I don't want to watch TV, so it's kind of a good and bad. Sometimes I'll take my laptop in there and sit but not watch TV, of course I may listen as it can be loud, but just curious on your experiences with reducing TV watching...

[alsy]

It has been more than 10 years since I gave up TV. Technically speaking, I have not given up if you take into account that I may (but, usually not) watch a few minutes worth if I am in the kitchen. Which is an open living kitchen/ lounge room. Otherwise I don’t go out of my way, which is in stark contrast to immense saturation 15+ years ago.
I was not aware of contrast (watching/not watching) during the phasing out period. Only many years later I came to realize the differences.

I had alienated myself a bit from what other people were following, and this made socializing a bit harder for me at the time when I was heavily focusing on business. Now I sift through the Internet for news or other information & sometimes entertainment. I choose whether I will look into more of the details and be careful to make up my own mind about it, rather than the puppeteers attempting to mould my mind and therefore, my experience of the world. More often I just glimpse over some of the sensationalism & fear mongering, which I rarely buy into. When I use to watch TV, I was more readily suckered into the fear & sensationalism. I was more reactive, rather than be in control. I did not like how I felt. In my glossing over, I still get an idea on some of what is “supposedly” news, being presented to the public. If I see something on TV now, I am less easily swayed in my mind. I am more neutral and better able to assess possibilities, which I was previously conditioned to “blinker out”.

In the past several years I have watched may be 2 movies a year on average. It is a really strange experience. The day after watching a movie came the stark contrast between watching and not watching. This may sound strange, but its like I am aware of sections of the movie “wired” into or running through my nervous system. In the way I perceive the experience, is like it detracts you from being a conscious creator. (Unless the content is aligned with some specific purpose you wish to bring about) As a human being, I am “Being” something in each moment. What I was “being” was in the experience of the previous days concentration. It was impinging on that moment. Almost like a program running in the sub conscious. Not impossible, but it was harder to be what I wished to be in that moment. If anyone has worked long hours and done something like 14 days straight you will know what its like when it comes to the rest day. That activity is still running though in auto pilot, even though you are not physically doing it.
Looking back to when I use to be a TV zombie, I am aware of some of the content in TV programs use to influence my judgement in life. Which includes political biases, as well as affecting my character and expressions. If I had a strong focus on a particular character in a series, It would have an influence in my being. (If that makes sense)
I use to love cartoons when I was a kid and I watched tons of it. Many years ago now, someone commented that I sounded like one of the cartoon characters, (Not any more I don’t) which happened to be from one of my favorite programs that I heavily watched and loved.

I don’t think TV is necessarily bad. It depends on how you use it and your attitude. Although there seems to be more creativity and variety today on TV, I stopped watching because I came to the conclusion that the majority of TV programming were regurgitations (same story, different faces and places), and so called News/ Current affairs type programs were used mainly by commerce/ politicians and interest groups to shape public views/ opinions.

[julien]

I've given up TV. Why ? Easy ... I am living in China, and the only channel in English is CCTV9, which sucks ...
More seriously, what is on TV that you cannot find anywhere else ? If you want a good movie, better go rent one so at least you can select. If you want news, better find your sources on the Internet (at least you are not dependent on what the journalists wants you to know).

[Alvin]

I used to watch TV for hours and hours on end, I'd just lie there on the couch and vegetate, and a lot of times just zone out and even watch stuff I didn't really want to watch but watched anyway (silly stuff like those darn TV ads!).

Now, I never watch TV, if I want to see a TV series or movie I just rent or buy it and watch it at my leisure.

What has been the biggest benefit?

I'd say the change between a passive state of couch potatoe-ing and mindlessly watching whatever and a state of consciously choosing what to watch, when to watch it and how long I want to watch.

You don't really get to choose when you do TV (well, I hear about this 'Tivo' thing you Americans have).

Now having this conscious choice of how to spend my time, I'd never go back to zoning out hours a day wasting them in front of the boom tube!

I've been off TV for a good 10 years now, and I find I can't even sit still in front of it, it just seems so inane, not to mention the horrible programs they show! Bleargh!

[helgi]

I gave away my television set last month, and just watch a couple of selected shows each week on my computer (although I'm slowly losing interest in those as well).

Still enjoy watching TV documentaries and such, and recently bought a large collection of David Attenborough series on DVD and a box set of Michael Palin's travel shows. Probably enough to last me a decade.

[David Hausladen]

In my sophomore year of college, I realized just how disgusting the TV habit was. I had been out of TV-watching for almost four years at that point. I was in a dorm room with a roommate who had sports TV on literally every minute that he was in the room, and I began to understand just how much time and mental energy that habit consumed. Looking back I also now see how destructive it was to any higher level of consciousness. I think TV-watching mostly fits in the levels of apathy and fear--apathy because you don't care about dealing with the real world, fear because many programs focus on fear-oriented news/problems/issues.

Originally Posted by alsy

If I had a strong focus on a particular character in a series, It would have an influence in my being.

I found the same thing with video games. Most heroes from the games that I played when I was younger were loners, social outcasts, and pessimists...and guess what kind of person I was in high school and early college?

...

TV, video games, movies, and Internet... What would it be like to live completely apart from the world's media culture? I sense a 30-day trial coming on...

[stephencp]

Well, I hope this doesn't appear as a completely shameless plug but....
I too don't want much TV but for the last couple months I do often have TSTN on in the background of my computer. TSTN is a continuous feed of motivational speakers and self help gurus that is infinately better than regular TV or radio. If nothing else, I'd recommend checking out the free trial and download the MP3's to listen to.

TSTN | The Success Training Network

Stephen
Power-Book Library: Free personal development, success, inspiration and motivational classics
Personality and Growth Bookshelf

[Frans]

Here's an interesting anagram for "Steve Pavlina":

Steve Pavlina = TV leaves pain

[Adrienne]

Originally Posted by Frans

Here's an interesting anagram for "Steve Pavlina":

Steve Pavlina = TV leaves pain

LOL that is great.

I am in my early 20s now, and have not watched TV in years upon years. There are a few shows that i enjoy (star trek, stargate) and i just buy the series when they come out on DVD. and now that stargate is going off the air (many tears) i really wont have anything to watch which is fine by me. I hate to watch movies and go to the movies as well. I just find it all so pointless. I always want to tell people (and often do) "try living your life instead of watching people live theirs"

I bought my PS2 a couple years ago and a few games to go with it. I have 15 games, and i have only played 3 of them. I find that i dont even really play that. Since i got it, i have only played it 10 times at the most. However, i would like to play it more just so i can play DDR. Something about getting friends together and falling all over ourselves trying to get rhythm is alot of fun.

Adrienne

[Mama3boys]

Originally Posted by alsy

If I had a strong focus on a particular character in a series, It would have an influence in my being. (If that makes sense)

This makes total sense to me. I find it also happens when I read a book with a strong central character such as Ayla in Clan of the Cave Bear, Valley of the Horses etc. I don't think it is a bad thing if we choose carefully the media that we allow to affect us.

JMO,
Jen in Oz

[danas]

This may sound odd, but my problem is the opposite. I never watch tv, even though theres one in my living room with cable channels. I never do, because I hardly ever just veg out doing nothing, Im always busy "doing" something (even now, writing this), I have to learn to just do nothing, be passive. watch tv. I wonder if anyone else has the same problem?

[RallyMcnally]

Funny how people thinnk TV is so bad. The INTERNET is just as worse! So many internet addicts these days who don't have lifes anymore. It's scary!

Why don't people focus on giving up TV and the Computer!

[Keith]

Originally Posted by danas

This may sound odd, but my problem is the opposite. I never watch tv, even though theres one in my living room with cable channels. I never do, because I hardly ever just veg out doing nothing, Im always busy "doing" something (even now, writing this), I have to learn to just do nothing, be passive. watch tv. I wonder if anyone else has the same problem?

I'm not sure why you consider that a problem?

If you think you don't spend enough time "just relaxing", let me warn you off TV. I always end up feeling more tired after 'relaxing' in front of the television...

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm not sure why you consider that a problem?

If you think you don't spend enough time "just relaxing", let me warn you off TV. I always end up feeling more tired after 'relaxing' in front of the television...

I saw a study which said the most common emotion felt after watching television was for the viewer to be mildly depressed.

My personal experience would confirm the results of the study.

[Conan Stevens]

I gave my TV away 8 years ago. I have not had a TV in the house since.

Those who still have a TV have not given it up, if it is on it is affecting you, it is programming you - you are still subconciously 'watching' it. Throw it out.

If you're interested here's my Blog on not having TV and the main benefits:

The idiot box - benefits of not having television

It was an Amway tape that first put the notion into my head to stop wasting time on TV, Newspapers and magazines, and only several years later that I realised taht these media socially program the masses.