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I don't own a television
- Thread starter Mari
- Start date
Libra6Poe
New Member
That's good.
I didn't own one at my old apartment two years ago. It was because I knew it would distract me from studying. I also didn't have a personal computer. I was able to read sooooooo much.
Now, I live with my boyfriend, he has a TV (we have a TV), but we don't have cable (luckily). So we still don't watch as much as we would if we did.
I didn't own one at my old apartment two years ago. It was because I knew it would distract me from studying. I also didn't have a personal computer. I was able to read sooooooo much.
Now, I live with my boyfriend, he has a TV (we have a TV), but we don't have cable (luckily). So we still don't watch as much as we would if we did.
mehastings
Active Member
No TV huh? I actually think that is a bummer. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I like having the option available. A friend of mine has no TV and no computer, so she is constantly at my house wanting to use mine.
Jessica089
New Member
It's good to an extent....if you're studying it gets you reading and studying more. And I really struggle finishing a book regularly with the internet and TV now. But it's a bit sad too because I use TV and net as like my news from the outside world.
It's still good if you love to read. So much reading to be done!
It's still good if you love to read. So much reading to be done!
VTChEwbecca
kickbox
I do have a TV, but mostly just use it for my workouts. I hate having it around when my husband gets home, though, b/c the first thing he does is turn the stupid thing on. This usually causes me to leave the room, because I'd much rather be reading. When I'm at home by myself, I usually just watch a half hour per week (Saturday night from 9 to 9:30).
The only times I do like having a tv are during football (American) and hockey (if they have one) seasons.
The only times I do like having a tv are during football (American) and hockey (if they have one) seasons.
cajunmama
Active Member
Sometimes I wish I didn't. But it does come in handy now and then. I mostly watch it for news and informative programs, like nature shows and craft/cooking shows. I do have a few entertainment programs that I enjoy, but if I had no tv, I would only miss them for a while then get over it. My husband and I like to relax with a glass of wine and a movie on dvd some evenings, too. It is handy, also, for entertaining children in a limited way. I was never one to let my kids just sit in front of it all day, so they like to play with each other or outside just as much as they enjoy television. My mother-in-law and I were at the library just yesterday and we both commented that with summer nearly upon us, it is re-run season on television, so we will both be getting more books!
Kookamoor
New Member
What I'm about to say is not directed at anyone here in particular: I have a problem with people thinking that television is evil. I have a TV, and I enjoy watching it. I love putting in a movie in the evening and curling up with my other half. I also enjoy reading, kung fu, working out at the gym and aspiring to be a triathlete. I manage to fit in 9 hour days working on my thesis somewhere in there too.
My point is that it is all about balance.
I agree that children are too often plonked in front of the television and play too many video games. The same can be said for many adults. But television has been around since the 1950's, and when I grew up in the 1980's I certainly never spent too much time in front of the box. I think it says more about the parents raising the children than it does about television.
I don't see why television should be viewed as so evil. It's rather like blaming McDonalds for obesity. What is missing is self control and the concept of a balanced lifestyle. People have the choice not to have one of these devices, but too often at the moment I hear people expecting some kind of congratulations for resisting the evil temptation. I don't have a deep fat fryer in my kitchen, but I'm not crowing about it from the rooftops! I'm not saying that anyone in this thread is, but that's my two cents about the whole to have or not to have a television issue.
My point is that it is all about balance.
I agree that children are too often plonked in front of the television and play too many video games. The same can be said for many adults. But television has been around since the 1950's, and when I grew up in the 1980's I certainly never spent too much time in front of the box. I think it says more about the parents raising the children than it does about television.
I don't see why television should be viewed as so evil. It's rather like blaming McDonalds for obesity. What is missing is self control and the concept of a balanced lifestyle. People have the choice not to have one of these devices, but too often at the moment I hear people expecting some kind of congratulations for resisting the evil temptation. I don't have a deep fat fryer in my kitchen, but I'm not crowing about it from the rooftops! I'm not saying that anyone in this thread is, but that's my two cents about the whole to have or not to have a television issue.
cajunmama
Active Member
I agree wholeheartedly with you, kook. Television in and of itself is not a bad thing. But too much of anything is. Moderation is the key in all things. It's like what Martin said once ( and I agree with) about the internet in an internet addiction thread. He said the internet is like his car, it is there, it is convenient, therefore he uses it. For me, so is the television.
hay82
Active Member
I still have a tv but when I move after the summervacation I'm going to throw it out. I think there are more stupid tv-shows than I care paying for. This doesn't mean that I won't watch movie, I just rent dvds and play them on my computer instead.
I just saw a comercial for a new tv-show here. We have the rebuild the house shows, the learn to raise your kids shows and the lose some weight you lazy bastard shows. Now they are making it all into one show. Perfect for people who don't have enough brain to follow three different idiotic shows. This means you can destroy you brain three times as fast. Brilliant.
There are a lot of shows I like to watch I'm going to miss, like almost everything on Discovery, Scrubs, Simpsons, things like that, but it's just not worth paying so much for every month.
I just saw a comercial for a new tv-show here. We have the rebuild the house shows, the learn to raise your kids shows and the lose some weight you lazy bastard shows. Now they are making it all into one show. Perfect for people who don't have enough brain to follow three different idiotic shows. This means you can destroy you brain three times as fast. Brilliant.
There are a lot of shows I like to watch I'm going to miss, like almost everything on Discovery, Scrubs, Simpsons, things like that, but it's just not worth paying so much for every month.
Kookamoor
New Member
If it's a cost thing, I can totally understand getting rid of a television. I have cable now and it is a luxury while I'm in Canada. When I go back to Melbourne I will have normal free-to-air (5 channels on a good day!). I have never seen the point of paying for cable before (it's relatively new in Australia). But here there are only 2 free channels, and mostly they come in with very, very poor reception, unless one has cable.
Mari said:
I don't have a microwave, hairdryer, or any of a dozen other things that seem to be common household or personal items. I've gone without owning a television. I own a television now but I don't have cable or any other service that expands the number of available channels. I've also gone without a phone for over a year. I own a phone now but it's a pre-paid cellphone (you pay for a set number of minutes. You have to buy more time every 3 months to remain active) that is almost always off.
Nothing wrong with not having a TV. Nothing wrong with owning one either.
hay82
Active Member
Actually it's the free-to-air thingy that is the most expencive in Denmark, and you have to pay for it just if you have a tv. It's about 30 euros a month and I think that is a bit much for a student to pay, especially since it's only rubbish these channels show, and you have to pay for more channels to get anything good.Kookamoor said:
hay82
Active Member
I will, not that I'm paying it right now so free-to-air does apply, but they have people running around checking if you have a tv, and if they happen to stop by, you have to pay for all the time you've had a tv. So if they come around before I throw the tv out, I will of course just have gotten the tv.cajunmama said:
Kookamoor
New Member
hay82 said:
That's really sucky. I don't blame you at all. So even if you've no channels and just use the box to watch movies on, you still have to pay JUST to own one. I've heard of TV licences before (don't they have them in the UK, too?). What's the justification for them?