Would you chuck out your Television/s?

I've been thinking a lot about this recently. My kids both have one in their rooms. The one in the living room seems only to stifle conversation, there's hardly anything on worth watching and the ad's are annoying. Don't like watching one lot of news as don't want to get one view so watch all news which means MORE TV! Much prefer looking at independent media online anyway.

Anyone else thought about or done this?

 

yeah...we did a long time ago I think it is a good idea

 

And no withdrawels?

Did you find everyone had to make more of an effort with each other?

 

Since I started working, I've only watched TV about eight times...that is, eight times in as many months. I only watch when there's something that interests me on, for example the South Bank Show where the topic was busking. But I kind of cheat. I have loads of Transformers episodes on my PC

I might give my TV to my sister. I reckon she'd make more use out of it

 

You could always just turn the t.v off and have family time...
I don't know how old your kids are but that would work if you wanted to have a conversation with the family. I enjoy t.v. and grew up watching it but my mom made sure I had a good balance of the outdoors and family time too.
There are however worse things kids could do then watch t.v.

 

I think I could live quite happily without a tv, there are so few programmes I actually watch. It is good for watching vidoes on

 

This is kind of what I'm getting at. Where I live and on most council estates in the UK, kids are either in watching telly, on the playstation, or outside getting in trouble because there's very little for them productive to do.

Also, as I type I'm looking out of my window onto a large 1920's cul-de-sac which is absolutely gorgeous. When these houses were built I expect there was a great sense of community. Today nobody knows their neighbours....the tv generation! If we all threw our televisions out what a difference it would make!

Or would it? :H

 

I have two divergent opinions. Firstly, there's no fucking way on earth I'd willingly part with my TV. Having said that, I never just sit there and watch crap for the sake of it. I watch a few specific programs, and when I watch those, I feel that I've learned something I couldn't have learned from another source. Reading about something is one thing, seeing it is something else.

Also, I don't do adverts. First sign of an advert and the sound goes off, or I switcht to News 24 for a couple of minutes. I never, ever, ever leave an advert running.

Mostly though, my TV is used for watching movies.

My other opinion is that if I had kids, I'd think again. The idea of children sitting in front of the shit that's on TV would really worry me.

I also hate the way a lot of people watch TV. Ever turned up at someone's house and the TV has been on in the background, and they just leave it on out of habit?

I think TV is neither good nor bad. It's how you choose to use it.

 

I agree with most of that. I especially hate going round to peoples when the tv is on in the background....really aint sociable!

One of the things I am concerned about you have just brought up is that it seems books do not have the same impact for many kids I know because of the TV and the Internet. When I was a child I was never out of a good book.

 

Couldn't agree more. I was very widely read as a child, and continue to read a lot as an adult.

I think one of the problems is that you can't force children to read. I don't think just removing the TV would be sufficient motivation either. I also think there's peer group issues if you try and stop kids watching TV. So much of their peer group interaction is based on popular media, do adults have the right to deny them access to that? Maybe the answer is stricter control. It always amazes me how many kids have TVs in their bedrooms these days. It's almost like they're considered deprived if they don't have this! If I had kids, that's one thing I'd never allow.

 

When I got custody of my kids they already had TV's in their rooms so it would be seen more of a punishment to get rid of them, I also don't want to be seen to be too 'controlling', so it's a real difficulty. And the peer group thing? Absolutely!!

I think maybe by it disappearing from the livingroom and coming up with more communicative and interactive passtimes might be the key but I could just be on a hiding to nothing!

 

I think you;re right, try and encourage some more intersting activities than TV and see where that gets you. I dont think TV is abd for all ages - when i was very young before junior school I used to sit watching all the old channel 4 schools progams and documentaries all day and then i;d quite cheerfully go hom and waffle to my mother how power stations workd and the effect o acid rain on noweigan forests I think at a very young age television can help children become more articulate and teaches them dialogue - as long as its used in moderation of course

 

I will get rid of my tv when they stop making the simpsons

 

Yeah Dick and Dom rock!!

BOOOGIIIIEEESSSSSS!!!

 

95% of the time I only have broadcast television on when there is news or a documentry that I want to see. The other 5% will be the occasional comedy or film. Between the year 2000 and today I reckon I've watched less than 48 hours television in total. (That doesn't include video and dvd)

However, if you took away my internet I'd probably die.

 

Jesus! Don't go there!!!!

 

Meanwhile round at the Dok's, they're still considering which of the four PCs they'd prefer, having already given up on lugging the 32" widescreen outta the door. Ah fuck, I think I'm a consumer

 

One server to store data.
One computer for me.
One computer for Sam.
One laptop.

All makes sense, really.

 

"Not to me it doesn't!"

 

Haha, just wait until AukonDK come online and ask him how may computers *he* has in the house i think you and he would get slong well dok