Should I get rid of my TV?

[montesquieu]

I haven't had a TV for about 14 years. I lived without one for much of the 80s and early 90s when I was a daily newspaper journalist working shifts and never in in the evening, then I moved to New Zealand for several years through to the mid 90s and never bought a TV either. So I got used to it.

When I lived in New Zealand I used to go to a mate's house to watch Star Trek: TNG, and Star Trek (Voyager and DS9) was about the only thing I watched when I did have a TV through the late 90s and early 00s, which was mainly used to entertain the kids when they were small.

I see no need for a TV - I have a few web and magazine subscriptions, I read a lot of books, and my evenings are largely spent cooking, eating or listening to music.

Occasionally I join up one of the streaming services if there's something I want to binge-watch on the laptop. (Did that with Game of Thrones last year). In reality the only time I miss TV is on election night.

I don't go much to movies either - the only time I ever see them is on regular long haul flights to Asia. I had an ex who used to drag me to horror movies and 30 years later I still get sweaty palms going into cinemas (my body anticipating some gory shocker even if it's only Mission Impossible).

The down side is huge distraction if I'm anywhere there's a screen with something on, my attention gets sucked into it as it's an unusual thing for me, I'm also extremely intolerant to random/ambient crap music which I suspect people get de-sensitised to if they watch much TV.

EDIT bloody hell this is a thread resurrection and a half!

[Marco]

I read a lot of books, and my evenings are largely spent cooking, eating or listening to music.

Nice one. Well, we'd like to hear more about what you've been cooking, or listening to, on the respective food ['What's for lunch or tea today?'] and music threads

Marco.

[mikmas]

My wife works a 3 shift rota but when the time is right we like to watch a lot of TV drama together (just finished the BBC Wales series 'Hidden' - totally gripping and superb acting) and also catch quite a few comedy shows, so doing without a reasonable sized screen is not really an option - we find a 32 inch more than enough for comfortable viewing. Also use Apple TV occasionally to screen mirror stuff we've come across online.

If my wife is at work I rarely watch TV but did get hooked on 'Antiques Road Show' and 'Homes Under the Hammer' for a while after I retired (particularly during the Winter months...)

[oldius]

My wife works a 3 shift rota but when the time is right we like to watch a lot of TV drama together (just finished the BBC Wales series 'Hidden' - totally gripping and superb acting) and also catch quite a few comedy shows, so doing without a reasonable sized screen is not really an option - we find a 32 inch more than enough for comfortable viewing. Also use Apple TV occasionally to screen mirror stuff we've come across online.

If my wife is at work I rarely watch TV but did get hooked on 'Antiques Road Show' and 'Homes Under the Hammer' for a while after I retired (particularly during the Winter months...)

Hiddem was quite brilliant and wonderfully acted.

[Pete The Cat]

After starting a family I found that I rarely had control of the TV and after a while I didn't really miss it. It meant that I had more time for other stuff. iPlayer etc show the high quality series anyway (The Bridge, The Fall, Broadchurch kind of things).

Must admit I've been struggling with Hidden since three episodes in the pace feels slow, I'll persevere though.

Pete

[Macca]

The plight of becoming non selective TV watcher is something to avoid IMO; it wastes time and results in adverse personal psychological programming.

.

Very good point this. Whilst I like my telly a lot I always tape everything I want to watch in advance so I can fast-forward the adverts. And I never watch the news or current affairs programmes. Mostly I watch 'proper telly' from the 1970s and early 1980s when shows were solely intended to be entertaining and not thinly disguised vehicles for brainwashing re gender/cultural/social issues.

[Primalsea]

Buy a little computer, like a Raspberry Pi and set the TV up so it just shows a rolling update of of the AOS What’s New webpage...

[Marco]

Very good point this. Whilst I like my telly a lot I always tape everything I want to watch in advance so I can fast-forward the adverts. And I never watch the news or current affairs programmes. Mostly I watch 'proper telly' from the 1970s and early 1980s when shows were solely intended to be entertaining and not thinly disguised vehicles for brainwashing re gender/cultural/social issues.

Hear, hear!

Although I can't help sniggering at "tape". We've been here before

Marco.

[Gazjam]

Got rid of my "broadcast TV" a couple of years ago when I realized that realistically I was watching maybe 5% of what I was paying for.
Why am I giving money away every month says I?
The idea of coming in from work, slumping down on the couch and turning on the idiot box and switching my brain off...naa.

Kept my TV and associated kit, just got rid of Virgin Media and never looked back.
Netflix, YouTube and a whole universe of online stuff...watch what you want when it suits you, and spend the money on Blurays.

Works for me.

[Macca]

The idea of coming in from work, slumping down on the couch and turning on the idiot box and switching my brain off...naa.

)

I don't do that every night but I do like to be able to do it. My brain sometimes needs switching off after a day at work.