How many times a day do you hear these words? It seems like at work, at home, and even with random strangers, the conversation revolves around the ole boob tube. But chances are, if you ask me if I've seen the new House, or that Sanjaya finally got kicked to the curb, or that really funny commercial, my answer will be no. I've pretty much given up watching TV.
That's right, it's true. I'm a twenty-five-year-old modern American that doesn't watch TV anymore. Okay, let me clarify I bit. I will sometimes throw on the Food Network or HGTV for a couple of hours, but usually it's during my after-school nap or while I'm cleaning house on the weekend. And I will watch my one guilty pleasure, I Love New York (and now Charm School), at my friend's house when she tivo's it. But that puts my TV viewing hours at roughly five or six a week, and I think I heard a statistic that in the average home, the TV is on for at least five to six hours a day. For example, at my parents' house, it's pretty much always on if someone is home, even if it's only serving as background noise, and I wonder if this is true for most other American homes.
So why have I done this? Is it political? Religious? Intellectual? Maybe. But basically, I just stopped watching sometime in January and realized that I don't miss it. There isn't much on that's so compelling that I'd rather be doing that than something else. I've never been one to plan my schedule around TVGuide, but even my die-hard favorites have lost some of their appeal. I simply just don't need it anymore.
When I tell friends about my new, TV-free lifestyle, they often react as if I'd had my electricity shut off- a small gasp, followed by "but what do you do?" Well, I may live in Elkhart county, but I'm not Amish. I still watch a lot of movies (which is a lot of what I watched on TV even before), but with Netflix, I get to choose which ones instead of the almighty network producers. I also have a pretty healthy internet addiction, which is where I get a majority of my news, weather, and said Netflix. I read books and magazines, write, listen to the radio, putter around my apartment, go for a walk, or spend time with friends. Sometimes I'll even drag out the old X-Box for a couple of rounds of Mortal Kombat (not exactly the most enlightening pasttime).
That's right, it's true. I'm a twenty-five-year-old modern American that doesn't watch TV anymore. Okay, let me clarify I bit. I will sometimes throw on the Food Network or HGTV for a couple of hours, but usually it's during my after-school nap or while I'm cleaning house on the weekend. And I will watch my one guilty pleasure, I Love New York (and now Charm School), at my friend's house when she tivo's it. But that puts my TV viewing hours at roughly five or six a week, and I think I heard a statistic that in the average home, the TV is on for at least five to six hours a day. For example, at my parents' house, it's pretty much always on if someone is home, even if it's only serving as background noise, and I wonder if this is true for most other American homes.
So why have I done this? Is it political? Religious? Intellectual? Maybe. But basically, I just stopped watching sometime in January and realized that I don't miss it. There isn't much on that's so compelling that I'd rather be doing that than something else. I've never been one to plan my schedule around TVGuide, but even my die-hard favorites have lost some of their appeal. I simply just don't need it anymore.
When I tell friends about my new, TV-free lifestyle, they often react as if I'd had my electricity shut off- a small gasp, followed by "but what do you do?" Well, I may live in Elkhart county, but I'm not Amish. I still watch a lot of movies (which is a lot of what I watched on TV even before), but with Netflix, I get to choose which ones instead of the almighty network producers. I also have a pretty healthy internet addiction, which is where I get a majority of my news, weather, and said Netflix. I read books and magazines, write, listen to the radio, putter around my apartment, go for a walk, or spend time with friends. Sometimes I'll even drag out the old X-Box for a couple of rounds of Mortal Kombat (not exactly the most enlightening pasttime).
Maybe it's the control-freak in me, but I've just found that I would rather do something more interactive than being bombarded with advertisements for stuff I don't need, reality shows that have nothing to do with reality, celebrity antics that make me embarrassed for my generation (or similarly, paparazzi-produced segments that contort the First Amendment to basically eliminate all lines of privacy or human dignity), and dramatic or comedic elements that I can just as easily get from a good movie.
And, I figure, if it's really worth watching or I can't take it any longer, I can always rent the complete seasons and have myself a good old-fashioned TV marathon. But it hasn't happened yet.
And, I figure, if it's really worth watching or I can't take it any longer, I can always rent the complete seasons and have myself a good old-fashioned TV marathon. But it hasn't happened yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment