When did you stop watching TV?

Vanity | 7 January, 2018 | mark twain

[marktwain]

When did you stop watching TV?

When I did so, it was a watershed moment. Without the constant drumbeat of Progressive narratives being poured into my brain, my life immediately became better.

I started thinking more clearly. I found I had much more time for productive work. I accomplished much more.

I recall that I considered Claire Wolfe's advise in "101 THINGS TO DO 'TIL THE REVOLUTION".

Claire suggested to "Kill your TV". I did not do that, but I stopped watching. Eventually, I gave it away.

My signed copy of Claire's book is dated April 19th, 1997. It is the Loompanic's edition. It was 1997 when I stopped watching TV.

I wish I had done so decades earlier. Some of Claire's advise seems wrong to me now, two decades older and wiser. But on stopping watching the boob tube, she was 100% correct.

I found freerepublic in 1998.

[wardaddy]

I watch very little now and my kids mostly get programs via iPads and smart phones

My programs

A little Fox like Tucker and Laura

Bourdain the pompous ass if he’s somewhere I like

Pickers cause Mike is local now and is kind to my wife who sorta knows him and very accessible plus I just like it especially the old motorcycles

YouTube

Some Netflix

I buy a few movies

College football

FBN Lou Dobbs

That Tom Selleck cop show

Game of Thrones

House Hunters intl

Anything outlaw biker documentary

War newsreels

Old tv shows and westerns like METV

[sneakers]

We didn’t stop watching tv, but ditched cable. Unlike others here, I enjoy some reality tv like “Curse of Oak Island” and “The Hunt for Hitler”, as well as renovation shows. We watch a lot of YouTube. Several days ago, another Freeper mentioned a show called “Time Team” - a show around a team of archaeologists uncovering Britain’s history. So, yes, there is still SOME interesting and educational programming out there. Most of the shows out there are, admittedly, just plain junk.

[Trillian]

We haven’t had a tv signal or cable at home in 10 years. Anything we watch is on DVDs we own or old shows online.
I know what you mean about alternate reality.. When I had another baby over a year ago I watched for a while. It was easier to just turn it off.

[Vermont Lt]

This is were critical thinking comes into play.

Three semesters of Earth Science (back when it was a science) cured me from global climate change years ago.

The other thing is a wisdom born of 35 years working in an ever changing workplace—sexual harassment training was big thirty years ago. The folks in Hollywood are just “getting” that. Go figure.

I think the best invention is DVRs along with streaming video. If you don’t like what is on...change the channel.

[LambSlave]

For me I think around 1999. I gave away the TV in 2004.

Wow, same here. Stopped watching in '99, gave widescreen TV away to a friend ~2004.p>

[trebb]

I almost did it when John Prine said we needed to throw away the paper and blow up the TV - never got all the way around to it.

[Neoliberalnot]

I travel about a dozen times a year and all I can say is I hunt for a location as far away as possible from the CNN crap. Occasionally in very small airports Foxnews is found.. My lab tech for years had a “KILL YOUR TV” sign on her car bumper.

[Atomic Vomit]

Told TV to get out in 2000. So much $$ and time saved since then and we are better informed.

Those few times I witness tv, in the act, it's like seeing an alien world. The noise, strife and hallucinatory images are really disturbing.

Tv makes it's watchers crazy. It's that simple.

No crazy in our home.

[Texas Fossil]

I was a traveling salesman and manager for many years, my wife's TV addiction might be rooted in that. She needed the noise maker in the room, when the kids were not home.

But I must make it clear, she is not fooled by the nonsense on TV. We agree on most every aspect of the poor quality of programming.

I'm glad you understood her perspective. My reaction? It is like chalk squeaking on a chalk board.

[AppyPappy]

I never really watched it after about 1980. I watched movies and sports but never a network TV series. Literally, I have never seen Seinfeld or 30Something or Friends. My wife watches NCIS and Law and Order so I have seen bits a pieces of it.

I did watch one episode of L&O because a friend from HS was on it.

[Georgia Girl 2]

We tapered off but when Fox put Cruella Kelly at 9:00PM and O’Reilly became totally insufferable we pretty much turned it off. We only turn the TV on if there is a weather event or terror attack. I called Direct TV about 8 months ago and told them I wasn’t going to pay $75 a month for something I never use. They immediately gave me a 12 no the deal for $12.40 for the same package.

[mowowie]

I watch tv in the early morning.
Have Gun will Travel at 8am on H&I.
after that my options are limited...
Watch Piper on Charmed or a Doctor Who/ Star Trek Voyager episode on BBC.
Then at 10 Supernatural comes on TNT but i have seen most of those episodes.

After that whenever i watch TV it’s usually something streamed or downloaded..Or maybe an old show on Cozi or METV.

[Ted Grant]

I went away to college in Fall 1986 and my tv consumption dropped dramatically, down to a couple of hours a week.

Ever since, I have watched relatively little tv. These days, I watch probably less than 4 hours of non-news tv a week.

[mowowie]

I love Howie i will have to check that out..

[TexasGator]

“Tv makes it’s watchers crazy. It’s that simple. No crazy in our home.”

I watch TV and am not crazy. I think you are the crazy one!

[TexasGator]

“Told TV to get out in 2000.”

LOL! Expecting an old TV to obey your verbal commands .... crazy!

[central_va]

u miss shark week.

[2nd amendment mama]

Networks don’t have license to transmit band music.

Gee, then how did they broadcast all the bands in the New Year's Day parade? Stupidity on display on your part. And, just so you know, the networks don't have licenses, it's the individual tv stations that are licensed.

[TexasGator]

I guess it is time to educate you. I hope you don’t mind looking so stupid ...

“Gee, then how did they broadcast all the bands in the New Year’s Day parade?”

They are allowed to transmit incindental music.

“Stupidity on display on your part. And, just so you know, the networks don’t have licenses, it’s the individual tv stations that are licensed.”

Duh ... The network picks up the music. They are not licensed to transmit it to the local stations!

Duh, are you really that stupid or are you just tailing me and really don’t care whether or not you look stupid?

[2nd amendment mama]

You’re the one that’s wrong but that’s okay. We all know that you’re a lying, stupid POS. You just keep proving it. BTW, there is no “licensing” for transmission from the network. The licensing for the music is through BMI and ASCAP and the networks pay for that on an annual contract basis not on a per use or individual broadcast.