I deg to biffer. Very much so, including -- and especially, in fact, Discovery and History Channels. You can learn all of that stuff and learn it better. It has nothing to do with elitism and everything to do with having experienced living without television. Your MIND finds better ways to ENGAGE in life, rather than sitting passivly and letting someone else fill your mind. Reading is not passive -- watching televison, whether it's a bad sit-com or the History channel, IS. You may not like it, but it's the truth.
Go for a year without television and report back. Unless you've experienced it for yourself, you have no idea what you're talking about.