QOTD
One of the things I did while I was out of work for 6 months was cut off my cable. I had a newborn son I was caring for and not having the TV was hardly missed. I read a lot and thanks to Cassandra I read “Infite Jest” for 6 weeks of my unemployment. Somedays I found myself reading up to 8 hours. The book is a MONSTER of a book and I literally CHALLENGE anyone to read it. I don’t know how long it would have taken me to to read it had I been actually working.
Once a sucker…er I mean employer hired me, I called FIOS and went to Best Buy to set up my first HDtv. Within a 72 hours of signing on for my job I had television. Since that time, I now notice I read less. I have to challenge myself to shut off the TV and play with babysquishy without the TV on in the background.
Another thing I noticed is between the family we watch maybe 12 channels, max.
So my question(s) is this:
How much TV do you watch in a week?
How long could you go without watching TV?
I hardly ever watch TV anymore. When we got the house it had an aerial in the attic, so I just hooked up the TV to that. It kind of sucked but we lived with it until Comcast started Internet access. I signed up for the Internet and got the $10/month TV which is basically just the broadcast channels, only clearer.
Then when we had kids we decided not to upgrade the TV until we made sure they had a strong reading habit and were physically active. We banned game consoles for the same reason. So far this plan is working really well for the kids. They are reading above grade level and into team sports. Since we don’t have a lot of entertainment channels I often find them watching the news. They know more about some stories than I do.
For the adults, I basically reason that more channels will only make us fatter and stupider.
And, TV news has the same problem as dead-tree newspapers: When I see it on TV I usually already know it, from the Internet. My news habit now is to read blogs on the left and right and let them direct me to the news stories.
But we do have computers all over the house. In the last year or so, it turns out that nearly all of the content you might want is now available on the Internet for free legally. The best part about watching TV shows and movies on the Internet is you have to plan what to watch and go look for it one show at a time. It prevents the habit of just turning on the TV and watching whatever’s on.
FIOS? Feh. I hate their pricing model. The TV is too expensive, and I don’t need their phone. Give me the Internet and I will set up my own phone. I hate bundling because I don’t want Verizon to own ALL my data.
When the come up with a $100/month bundle that includes TV, Internet, cell phone, and mobile broadband, maybe I’ll bite. But for now, screw ’em.
How much TV do you watch in a week?
How long could you go without watching TV?
Crap. Good and very enlightening questions, DV.
-1) Way too much TV. Especially now that the chain-smoking, diabetic, alcoholic spends his hours stinkifying our couch watching the TV while the elderly and infirm dog pisses on his clothes, the TV is on constantly. At least he effing pays for staying there. My kids, unfortunately, are drawn to it like moths to a light, though. That’s a battle. We prevail, but not until there is major drama and a drunk bastard sticking his opinion where it does not belong.
-2) Given my current sickness of the stress level of my home environment, a long time. The TV itself is a source of stress. Oh, wait…MLB playoffs first, then no TV. Wait, NFL then no TV. Wait… oh frick…it’s a perpetual cycle.
How much TV do you watch in a week?
Almost none, I see TV when I travel or when it is on in other people’s houses. No cable, no antenna in my house.
How long could you go without watching TV?
It has been 6 years or so since I’ve been completely without TV at my home. And I don’t miss it much. People around me have extensive conversations around TV shows that I can’t participate in, but the TV shows you want to see can be seen on DVD eventually. And lots of shows are around on the internet if you want to do the work to find them. And I do have friends around where I could go to see programs if I wanted.
I watch the news in the AM, sports on the weekend (and Monday night in football season). And I watch Survivor with the family when time permits. I am also a fan of LOST.
So I would say that I watch 10ish hours a week, at least half of which is news-oriented.
I have gone weeks, but I don’t like being out of the loop that long. I am a news junkie. The TV is simply one of the ways I get my fix.
We watch TV in the evening. Recently, we have become addicted to Dexter. Fortunately, we have banned TV’s from our first floor (and bedrooms). We have turned one of the extra bedrooms into a TV/computer room – and it’s always a disaster.
My kids aren’t big TV watchers, although me son is obsessed with XBox Live. Luckily, he’s an AP Honor student. That said, a few years ago he brought home an unimpressive progress report. Immediately I yanked all technology (TV, DS, XBox, computer). For every test he got an A on we gave him back 15 minutes of technology. The As started rolling in! BTW, if he brought home anything less than an A he lost all his time and had to start over.
I watch about an average of 4-5 hours a week, usually right before bed. I no longer watch news of any kind, I can’t stand reality TV (except for Top Chef, which brings out the foodie in me!), and I don’t go for sports.
One son is animation-only (usually Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon); other than that, the TV stays dark for days, except as the screen for video gaming.
The big TV user is my husband (who travels a great deal during the week). Sports, cable news, sports, movies — even moldy, oldy ones — some foodie shows and sports. Did I mention sports?
I could go without TV for several weeks, but then I’d have to catch up with Top Chef!
ps — is this babysquishy? If so, let’s change that name to Adorableviti.
yes
The TV died in the bedroom about four months ago. No money in the budget to replace it, so we didn’t. I have always read a lot–now I read more and get better sleep, too.
One son is animation-only
That is SO much more practical than the flesh-and-blood kind of kids. Why didn’t I think of that?
During baseball season, about two games a week. Lots of weather radar, which makes great video wallpaper. Exposed to several series because someone is watching within earshot, but if the reading material is good you don’t really notice it.
I watch sports a lot. Phillies, now Flyers and Eagles when I am not working. I miss a ton of games because of second job or other responsibilities. When college basketball starts, I’ll watch a game or two every night if I’m home. Fortunately, I often will clean a little bit, work on the computer or otherwise keep myself busy during the games.
Other than sports, my entire viewing consists of Mad Men, Countdown, Family Guy and Iron Chef. I also like a lot of stuff on Discovery.
I don’t know how long I could go without TV. When I work two jobs in a day, I like to come home and waste brain cells for an hour watching the tube.