

My No TV - comatose_kid
http://osteele.com/archives/2008/05/my-no-tv

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m0nty
I'm surprised so many commenters are describing this as "sanctimonious" or
"bragging" when all it is, is a slightly amusing way to present an idea. Take
it or leave it.

I don't watch TV and the upside is: more time, more reading, more creativity.
The downside is: when a friend asks "did you see ..?" and I have to explain
why I didn't, then listen to his description of what it was I should have
seen, then why it was incredibly funny, then pretend to get the joke when I
have no idea WTF he's talking about. What I really mean is that not engaging
in TV is culturally isolating sometimes, but I can live with that.

~~~
tom_rath
The essay struck me as being more condescending than helpful (and I despise
TV).

If you were a regular TV watcher who had no intention of quitting, would that
essay do anything other than encourage you to watch more out of spite?

~~~
m0nty
Maybe I could ask you a question here. I'm in a demographic which is probably
less than 2% of the UK population. Not watching TV is not something I brag
about because (generally speaking) people here seem to think it's a bit weird
and different not to watch it, rather than a particular virtue.

But some of the comments in the article seem to suggest there's a section of
American society which would see it as brag-worthy, and they clearly get on
people's nerves.

<http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28694>

So, when you suggest the article might encourage you "to watch more out of
spite", I wonder if there's a cultural thing going on here, so maybe you could
confirm or deny that (assuming you're in the US). Just curious is all...

~~~
tom_rath
I'm in Canada (and have lived for a spell in the U.S.) and not watching
television in both nations does strike many people as 'odd'.

For the idea of doing more of something "out of spite" in reaction to a
preacher's recommendation that you avoid an activity to be 'better' in their
eyes, check out this commercial:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhS65wyWnA8>

It's apparently running in the U.S. and seems to do little to deter smokers
from continuing in their habit (the YouTube comments seem to bear that out).
As the commercials are funded by U.S. tobacco companies as part of a legal
settlement, that may have been the intended result.

In a similar fashion, I doubt the linked essay will do anything to positively
change the behaviour of those who watch television shows to excess.

~~~
m0nty
'For the idea of doing more of something "out of spite" in reaction to a
preacher's recommendation'

I mostly get that bit, I was just curious about why the linked article was
being interpreted as "preachy" when I personally didn't see it as such.
(You're right about the ad you linked: truly awful. I clicked away.)

I live in a country where the government has banned smoking in public, wants
to tax "unhealthy" food, and is subservient to an EU which is making noises
about banning alcohol as well, so we're well versed in ignoring moral messages
from on high.

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dcminter
I ditched my TV but I still have a projector. That way I can watch things I
really like, but it's enough of a hassle that I have to _really_ want to.

It works well for me, anyway.

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tom_rath
Yeah, I went through a sanctimonious "Oh, I wouldn't know. You see, I don't
have a television!" phase too.

I suspect I was about as annoying as those ex-smokers who can't shut up about
how awesome life is without cigarettes.

~~~
axod
And the people who install adblock and think it's great to reply to a topic
about advertising with "Ads? What ads? I see no adverts ;)"

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axod
Having a TV doesn't actually mean you have to sit there comatose only watching
it and doing nothing else.

I like a good comedy or music tv on in the background whilst working
personally.

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rdouble
[http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/28-not-...](http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/28-not-
having-a-tv/)

~~~
kradic
It's true that NoTVs seem particularly popular with white people, and that
they like to brag about owning them, but I don't think the main reason for the
former is the latter. Few people have enough discipline to miss something they
love just so they can brag about missing it.

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AndyKelley
Just because the good (spending more time on things of value) is being clouded
by bad (sanctimoniously bragging about not having a TV) doesn't mean the good
doesn't exist.

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xlnt
he probably watches 12 hours a day of torrents

PS this is not hacker news

