Anyone else here ditched the TV?

[AimlessWanderer]

I think it was 2007 when I got rid of my television. Total waste of money and time. All I watched back then was House MD, other than having BBC News 24 cycling in the background while I did other stuff.

I haven't missed it.

In fact when I've visited friends or family, and they've had the idiot lantern on, I've wondered how they can digest their choice of viewing without wanting to bray it with a length of 4x2. I went away for a few days last month, and there was a television in the room. I did try watching a bit of it, but it just reassured me I made the right decision all those years ago.

I use the internet for news and such, but to be honest, I'm getting weary of that too, and social media (apart from a couple of forums) irritates me intensely. Partially the inanity and perpetual hatred and vitriol, and partially because I don't like being stalked by the data companies. Nothing to hide, just the principle of rebellion against feeling like I'm being farmed for data.

Nowadays, I try to have a much more analogue life. Although I do have a few digital accompaniments to life, a small MP3 player, CD player, and travel DVD player for watching the occasional film. The smartphone will be the next to go, and I'm looking for an ol style feature phone that works on 4g, and isn't infested with Google apps and other spyware.

Books, walks, learning musical instruments, and other non-digital activities is what I'm trying to fill my life with now. I have some art stuff I ought to use more, not that I'm any good with it, it's just fun to play around with.

Anyone else ditch the idiot lantern? Do you miss it, or feel better for it?

 

[Slash McCoy]

The last TV I owned had a dial to turn for tuning. Remote? LOL! I haven't missed it.

Actually I do have one TV, a 55" model, but I use it as a monitor for my day trading computer. I don't even know how to tune in a TV channel on it and I don't care about that, anyway. The 55" is great for day trading because I can have all my various data widgets and a dozen stock charts all showing at the same time, with only one screen.

Content has really gone downhill, anyway, it seems. I have every episode of Batman, Lost In Space, Star Trek, Green Hornet, Dark Shadows, and a few other good shows. Since about the time Seinfeld first aired, I doubt if anything good has aired on broadcast TV. I also have about 3600 movies, and cartoons from the 30's through the 50's, when cartoons were still funny. I have enough stuff to watch on my computer to never have to "tune in" again. News is depressing so I don't watch it. Every once in a while I find myself in a bar or airport departure lounge or waiting room and a TV is on. On cable. And STILL commercials, for a PAID SERVICE!!!?????!!! Why bother?

 

[Stubblebum]

I got rid of mine about 10 years ago. I've not missed it one bit.

 

[naughtilus]

Don't own one. I live on the internet.

 

[Esox]

Rid myself of my Panasonic Plasma? Not a chance.

That said, I dont watch network television other than the local 6PM news.

The mainstream news media and social media/networking... Dont get me started Al lol.

There are some good shows that are worth watching. I stream everything from my computer to my TV. Its one of my luxuries and is going nowhere.

 

[Legacoid]

We haven't ditched the googlebox as such but we have ditched the BBC license fee, which means no more live TV and no use of the iPlayer (not that I ever did use the iPlayer).
This leaves us with our DVD collection and streamed shows via Netflix and NowTV.

I've found this has led to much more selective use of the TV. Everything we watch is now a specific choice rather just putting on any old thing as background noise. It's freed us from being constantly bombarded by adverts - most of which seem to be focused on reminding us about cancer and heart disease - and news channels doing their best to catastrophize every story to boost viewing and engagement numbers. We're using the radio and listening to music much more than before.

I think this small change has had a very positive effect on our lives, but it's made us both even more out of step with the rest of society (and we were oddballs to start with). Recently we had a night over at one of our neighbor's houses. They're more than 20 years older than us. They had the TV on playing something they weren't watching, and whenever their mobile phones called for attention the conversation just stopped dead while they texted or made a FB post or whatever. My wife and I looked at each other in a kind of disbelief; we have phones but use them only as walkie-talkies and for emergencies, and were both raised to turn off the TV and other distractions when we have company out of politeness. It was weird to see an older generation behaving like that.

 

[Legion]

I have a TV, but don't have it connected to an arial to get free to air. Can't stand ads, and the commercial rubbish they put on.

I do watch Netflix and various shows and movies I download off the internet. There is so much good stuff made these days I can't imagine why anyone would watch free to air TV now.

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

Haven't owned one in fifteen years.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice to know I'm not alone in ditching the TV, guys. People I meet in real life simply can't imagine life without it.

 

[BrushJockey]

Perhaps I'm missing something. I thought we were supposed to be embracing gentlemanly discourse in The Barbershop.

Yet I'm seeing something that has gone beyond critique into venomous attack on the lifestyle and entertainment choices of other members here.

If this is considered acceptable behavior, then by all means let's enter the living rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms of all members here and have a free-for-all.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Perhaps I'm missing something. I thought we were supposed to be embracing gentlemanly discourse in The Barbershop.

Yet I'm seeing something that has gone beyond critique into venomous attack on the lifestyle and entertainment choices of other members here.

If this is considered acceptable behavior, then by all means let's enter the living rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms of all members here and have a free-for-all.

You must be seeing something that I'm not...

I'm seeing criticism of TV, but no criticism of people who enjoy watching it.

 

[Legacoid]

Yet I'm seeing something that has gone beyond critique into venomous attack on the lifestyle and entertainment choices of other members here.

I'm not seeing any venom?

If you're referring to phrases like "idiot lantern" and my "gogglebox", then let me explain that these are common alternate terms for the TV in the UK, intended to be humorous rather than vicious.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm not seeing any venom?

If you're referring to phrases like "idiot lantern" and my "gogglebox", then let me explain that these are common alternate terms for the TV in the UK, intended to be humorous rather than vicious.

Correct! Never even crossed my mind they might ruffle someone's feathers, based on how those terms are used here.

There was even a Doctor Who episode that played on that term

 

[1Speedster]

Here! Best decision I ever made to free up my mind and personal time. Music works much better as fill-in material.

 

[Polarbeard]

I have a TV. I watch movies on it, mostly Netflix. Commercials makes me angry due to their stupidity and that they invade my home trying to sell me rubbish, so I stopped watching such channels long ago. I watch the news, but I do it on the internet, when it suits me to see them. When we're not actively watching the TV it's turned off.

 

[MntnMan62]

We have four TVs in the house. A 52" in the living room, a 65" in the basement man cave and a couple 40 somethings inch TVs in the master bedroom and our son's bedroom. But we aren't glued to them. We will typically watch TV purely to watch a particular show. So we may binge watch shows or watch a movie. The two large TVs are hooked up to surround systems so we haven't been out to a movie theater in I can't tell you how long. The TVs are never on just for background noise. Like @Polarbeard, either we are watching something purposefully or it's off.

But I'm not getting any hatred or vitriol from the posts here like @BrushJockey seems to think. We all enjoy what we enjoy and do what we want in life. No one forces us to do anything. I'm not worried that someone might think I'm a bugger because I have four TVs. They can think whatever they want about me. I don't give a rats you know what. Live and let live I say.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Seeing sort of a pattern here. We're the same.....TV on if we're watching something on Netflix/Amazon but off otherwise, OR tuned to a music station (just plays music, no ads).

I think we might watch one show that airs on regular TV but it's got smart resume; I just hit FF when commercials hit and it stops itself and starts to play when that set of commercials is over.

We've been like this for years and like it. It kind of wigs me out when we go to family functions and the TV is always on no matter where we are.

 

[Doc4]

We ditched cable in the summer, and now our TV is just a big display screen for the PS4 the boys play with. Mind you, they get Youtube on there, so it's more than just game playing.

I had a bunch of shows stored in the cable recording box thingie that I was going to get around to watching "sometime" and never seemed to actually watch. So ... don't miss it, really.

 

[Toothpick]

I have thought about it 9,000 times. And I have tried it and made it just a couple days. I don’t have cable but I have Amazon, Netflix, HBO Now, and Spectrum TV App. Plenty of programming between the 4.

It’s an addiction. I’ve even thought about smashing the TV with a hammer so there is no way I can even turn it on. I have an Apple TV so it makes it that much easier to turn it on and find something to watch.

I hate it but I can’t give it up. I need help.

 

[salman]

No cable, but regular TV watcher here. Mostly youtube and Netflix though.


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