I cut out all TV. I haven't watched the thing for more than 30 seconds for two months. (this excludes the news)
Television dumbs people down.
You're right for the most part, but it's not completely without merit. The Science & History Channels are sometimes fun to watch, although now that there's a Military Channel, I fear I may not see my husband for some time!
The tube has very little truth on it.
And the commercials? Just stop and analyze one sometime: the background music, the very convincing message, the almost always perfect looking people, the hyperspeed of some of the video sequences, etc.
While I hardly ever watch one anymore, just once I'd like to see a car dealer commercial, where the unseen narrator, who yells, while racing through his lines, is (unbeknownst to him) shown on a split screen in the recording studio.
Nobody I know ever talks like that in real day-to-day life.
Agreed - news and sports.