The TV had to go!

[MrPlum]

I'm not sure what finally did it.

Perhaps the Thai dramas where maids are regularly beaten and mistreated (as if that's the way it's supposed to be). Maybe it was the relentless government propaganda masquerading as 'news'. Perhaps it was the never-ending immoral and violent movies on cable that make me sick to my stomach. It could have been the brainwashing with Global-warming Armageddon scenarios, or Pentagon-recruitment movies designed to desensitize young men to violence and train them to shoot first and negotiate second. Maybe it's the grim prison movies that teach prisoners and guards how to brutalize each other. Or the completely in-your-face advertising, conditioning you to buy over-priced pampers or washing powder, with some white-skinned, lipstick-covered hussy in hot pants draped over a washing machine. Perhaps it was one too many movies or sitcoms, depicting children being 'sassy' or calling their parents 'asshole' or worse.

Whatever was good about TV as an educational or positive social tool has long since lost any magic it once held. I got rid of mine and I'm more than happy I did. There are too many negative, horrific, satanic, violent and distorted images and messages I do not want being written to my mental hard drive and certainly not the mental hard drives of any children I'm responsible for.

Life is good but one would find it difficult to believe, if you watched TV.

Peter Finch played a character called Howard Beale in the 1976 movie 'Network' in which he lambasted viewers for starting to believe that TV was reality, while outside was not. The message of the movie was it steals your humanity.

I agree.

The only reason I keep one TV is to watch educational videos on how to speak Thai, learn about natural medicine and for entertainment, watch the only thing that has yet to be corrupted.... 'Wallace & Gromit'!

[Randy Cornhole]

The only TV I have in my UK house is a little 9" portable one. I feel free from the big square box in the corner of the room. It frees up a goodly portion of the room as well...

All I have in the front room is my precious vinyl playing system and a nice big comfy sofa on which to lounge and listen to Zappa...

[Khundon1975]

I'm not sure what finally did it.

Perhaps the Thai dramas where maids are regularly beaten and mistreated (as if that's the way it's supposed to be). Maybe it was the relentless government propaganda masquerading as 'news'. Perhaps it was the never-ending immoral and violent movies on cable that make me sick to my stomach. It could have been the brainwashing with Global-warming Armageddon scenarios, or Pentagon-recruitment movies designed to desensitize young men to violence and train them to shoot first and negotiate second. Maybe it's the grim prison movies that teach prisoners and guards how to brutalize each other. Or the completely in-your-face advertising, conditioning you to buy over-priced pampers or washing powder, with some white-skinned, lipstick-covered hussy in hot pants draped over a washing machine. Perhaps it was one too many movies or sitcoms, depicting children being 'sassy' or calling their parents 'asshole' or worse.

Whatever was good about TV as an educational or positive social tool has long since lost any magic it once held. I got rid of mine and I'm more than happy I did. There are too many negative, horrific, satanic, violent and distorted images and messages I do not want being written to my mental hard drive and certainly not the mental hard drives of any children I'm responsible for.

Life is good but one would find it difficult to believe, if you watched TV.

Peter Finch played a character called Howard Beale in the 1976 movie 'Network' in which he lambasted viewers for starting to believe that TV was reality, while outside was not. The message of the movie was it steals your humanity.

I agree.

The only reason I keep one TV is to watch educational videos on how to speak Thai, learn about natural medicine and for entertainment, watch the only thing that has yet to be corrupted.... 'Wallace & Gromit'!

Mr P


He said

"I'm as mad as hell and I'm not taking it any more".

What was wrong with your off switch?

Selective viewing is possible you know.

I love to watch BBC nature programs (IMHO the best in the World) and that sort of thing but apart from that and the news, the TV's hang on the walls, silent and black.

Soaps are for sad bu**ers with no life or imagination, who needs them I certainly don't.

As for films, we tend to get DVDs and read the blurb on the case before deciding to purchase and watch them.

When they bring out a system that allows me to do away with the bloody adverts, I will be happy.

[Super Joe]

When they bring out a system that allows me to do away with the bloody adverts, I will be happy.

PVR: http://www.truevisionstv.com/eng/news_update_pvr.aspx

SJ

[redzonerocker]

Selective viewing is possible you know.

it certainly is

nature programs, a variety of sports, the odd film or decent drama & of course channel 924 on virgin media as a regular feature.

[Super Joe]

Or better still go in the menu of UBC and 'skip' (hide) all the dross channels and you'll never see them again, even if you enter their channel number.
Might give me son the cartoon channels back as his Christmas present though

SJ

[SuperTonic]

I don't have a TV. Not for reasons of being bothered by the content, more that it rots your brain. Couples/families don't communicate when they have tv. Why don't you turn off the tv and go and do something less boring instead?

[hhfarang]

Well, as any of you who know me would expect, I built a whole room for my TV. In my home design, the biggest room in the house is a home theater. I bought the biggest TV available in Thailand (at the time) and imported La-Z-Boy theater seating from the U.S... I have done exactly what SJ said and "deleted" all the Thai channels from my UBC Platinum package as there are two other TVs in the house with cable for any Thai language viewers.

My home theater has a bar in the rear with a fridge so I don't even have to pause the movie while I'm whipping up a drink or a snack.

We have a formal dining room that is only used when we have company because the missus and I eat in the home theater in front of the TV; in fact, her nickname for me is "Mr. TV".

Yes, my brain has rotted, maybe from TV, maybe from booze or other stuff, but it's just too damned hot (yes SJ, I'm whining about the heat again!) to go outside so I'll spend my days in my air conditioned office on the computer or in the air conditioned home theater (where I'll be mostly for the next four days watching the Masters).

Without TV here I would quickly become either suicidal or dangerous, so be happy I have one to keep me busy, cool, and off the streets!

[margaretcarnes]

Mixed feelings about this. I can, and have, lived without TV (totally, not even a 9 inch screen or one kept just for special programmes!) But found that I quickly lost touch with current affairs and debate.
Used sensibly TV is an intrinsic part of modern life IMO. Remember how it enabled us to see the first moon landing for example? Or get first hand graphic accounts of JFKs assassination, and 9/11?
Maybe having grown up without one makes a difference for some of us older folks. We are more selective perhaps about our viewing (and I still prefer to avoid daytime TV.)
But it bugs me to hear otherwise sensible and 'grown up' friends say they never watch current affairs or debate programmes. Never bother with some of the fascinating wildlife stuff for example, which the Beeb does so well, and who instead spend hours on shopping channels.
There's a whole problem subculture now in the UK of housebound viewers whose only recreation is to buy stuff they don't need from these hard sell channels.
The present ongoing increase in new channels brought about in the UK by the change to digital is resulting in even more mindless programming.
Less is more IMO. More viewing choice often results in people only watching things which they find easy to understand. When we had only 4 or 5 channels there was much more chance that people would watch something which maybe seemed boring at first, but actually generated some interest and broadened perspective.
So at the moment we regularly sort through channels deleting and resetting.

[MrPlum]

Mixed feelings about this. I can, and have, lived without TV (totally, not even a 9 inch screen or one kept just for special programmes!) But found that I quickly lost touch with current affairs and debate.
Used sensibly TV is an intrinsic part of modern life IMO. Remember how it enabled us to see the first moon landing for example? Or get first hand graphic accounts of JFKs assassination, and 9/11?
Maybe having grown up without one makes a difference for some of us older folks. We are more selective perhaps about our viewing (and I still prefer to avoid daytime TV.)
But it bugs me to hear otherwise sensible and 'grown up' friends say they never watch current affairs or debate programmes. Never bother with some of the fascinating wildlife stuff for example, which the Beeb does so well, and who instead spend hours on shopping channels.
There's a whole problem subculture now in the UK of housebound viewers whose only recreation is to buy stuff they don't need from these hard sell channels.
The present ongoing increase in new channels brought about in the UK by the change to digital is resulting in even more mindless programming.
Less is more IMO. More viewing choice often results in people only watching things which they find easy to understand. When we had only 4 or 5 channels there was much more chance that people would watch something which maybe seemed boring at first, but actually generated some interest and broadened perspective.
So at the moment we regularly sort through channels deleting and resetting.

I did tune out some channels such as the (no-spin ) Fox News but advertising both outside and inside programming is almost impossible to filter.

While my personal preference is to avoid brainwashing, I can hardly dictate to my g/f and daughter what they should watch. Things that bug those of us that have been saturated with TV for decades, don't bother the young who are less aware of the extent of corporate conditioning. They don't see what the fuss is about. Rather than try and argue why some program or movie is unsuitable, it's easier to just bin the TV.

The result is, we are all happier for it and spending more time doing things together.

I've no wish to have you all jump up indignantly and defend your viewing habits. The TV as has been said is a great buffer against boredom. But there is a price to be paid for watching 52 channels of American Gladiator. Your brain rots.

News and current affairs are transient. Life's drama plays out continuously. What was important yesterday is forgotten today. And what is 'News' anyway? 'News' is determined by some hack at Reuters and Associated Press, dictated by Rupert Murdoch and will, in the main, be government spin, or infomercials they call 'news'. It will almost always have a negative slant and be sensationalized or distorted. Viewers are kept in a constant state of anxiety and tension with fear and violence bombarding them daily.

A recent example of corporate hijacking of the News media was the world wide release of Grand Theft Auto (glorifying violence) which was outrageously promoted on BBC World News.

I enjoy news and current affairs too. I get them from the web. Sure, it gives the same spin as 'terrestrial' TV, but it also allows me to check for authenticity. Invariably there is another side to the story to be found. Once you read it, your opinion of the independence of the media starts to come into serious question.

Like most men I enjoy Sports and am hoping HH will invite me around to watch the final round of The Masters. But I don't think the gain of being able to watch sports is worth the pain of everything else that comes with TV. Not least to my wallet.

Yes, 9-11 was important. I enjoyed particularly the BBC reporting the collapse of Building 7, 26 minutes before it happened. Did you see how they debated this incredible 'News'? They just ignored it. This is my problem with News and Current Affairs. It's choreographed to manipulate the masses and not IMO to truthfully educate or inform.

Another problem with debates, current affairs and news is the use of 'experts' telling us what we are supposed to think about an incident or policy. Debates are highly scripted and even where they aren't, they don't make a blind bit of difference to government policy. Millions around the world protested the Iraq war and were ignored. Obama is busily extending Bush's spying on the American population and probably us too, yet where's the media protest?

Thriving democracies can debate all they want to, the media is jam-packed full of talking heads. But if the executive is criminal and deaf to all reason, then what exactly is the point?

If you know the TV is being used as a tool for social control, why would anyone allow it and allow those those who finance it, to create your reality for you? A false reality.

Is this really okay just so you can watch Tiger Woods?

[sandman67]

TV can be a useful educational tool as well as a mindless drone wetnurse for unfit parents breeding cretins.....depends how it is used.....just like any tool from a hammer up.

Heres an example:

History Channel, at least back west, are running a series called Warriors that examines in depth warrior cultures and the crucial battles they fought in. Recently the program covered the French campaign of Henry V of England that peaked at Agincourt.

Now, a normally excellent program fell into the usual trap of taking the easy line, and said that was where chivalry died, blah blah. Lazy research. Same old tale drummed out by Shakespeare all the way to some novels recently.

So, with my basic knowledge of that period and its weapons I decided to do my own research on the opening of the 100 Years War, where in fact all of the factors covered in the program did actually start. I read and watched and digested.

Now, as at least a few people seem to like my writing, my next story will take you on a march with an Archer towards the real battle that should be remembered - Crecy in 1340s, almost 80 years before Agincourt, where we scythed a red path through the French for the first time, decimating their ranks. We killed two kings and four princes that day......but because of Shakespeare all we remember is Henry at Agincourt, a cheaper more shabby victory.

The only reason I have even the slightest confidence and ability to do that is because of educational TV and how it stimulated me to do my own research.

Thats where having a TV comes in useful, especially here where kids are taught nothing of the outside world. My 14 year old couldnt even show me where Thailand was on a world map......

[Big Boy]

I must admit that when my wannabe expat status achieves reality, the first thing I plan to do is purchase a decent home entertainment system.

My reasoning being that when we eventually move to Thailand, we don't want to live the holiday lifestyle of frequenting bars and restaurants every night. We don't do it here in the UK, and to be honest I'm always starting to get bored with the lifestyle after a month in Thailand.

We will socialize some nights, but on those we don't we need to be able amuse ourselves. Mediums that we use in the UK are mainly TV, computer and sound systems. We will start with what we know. If we find another way of home entertainment (for all of the family), then yes, we may evolve.

Whatever we do, I think we'll always retain our home entertainment system as a fallback.

However, that is what my family will do. Everybody is different, and I commend the OP for having the courage to throw his TV in the skip and steer his family down the road that he believes is best. If it works for you, do it. Don't be afraid to retract from what others believe is the norm.

[Khundon1975]

When they bring out a system that allows me to do away with the bloody adverts, I will be happy.

PVR: http://www.truevisionstv.com/eng/news_update_pvr.aspx

SJ

Super Joe

PVR still records the adverts though.

SM67

I look forward to your latest work on Crecy, it should be interesting and a jolly good read.

redzonerocker

We have Sky HD so don't know what programmes Virgin 924 contains.
But I could hazard a guess.

Mr P

I agree, Wallace and Gromit are good entertainment, I'm old enough to remember Muffin the Mule. It was legal then.

[Super Joe]

Super Joe PVR still records the adverts though.

Yeah you're right there, but it does feel good fast forwarding them, sort of therapeutic

SJ

[hhfarang]

I did tune out some channels such as the Fox News

MrPlum,

I realize that probably no one outside the U.S. is much interested in FOX news, primarily in that FOX news is not interested in YOU. They are interested in bringing the truth about American politics and other stories to Americans.

America is going down the tubes fast, and it is primarily due to extreme left wing liberals like most of the current congress and NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and all the other left wing media there. FOX is the only news channel that gives you a look at what the left is doing to ruin the country (or, in other words, turn it into an England or a European country).

I got upset once at Khun Richard of Yorkshire when he said the end of America was coming soon, but now I think he was a Prophet... with what the current Democratic congress and Obama is doing, it's only a matter of time before the country fails.

My only hope is that the populace realize how fast the current administration is sending us down the socialistic tubes that in the next election they will come to their senses and vote back in any other party (even communists would be better than this one!).

America is doomed if the Democrats, politically correct organizations, and the social welfare organizations get their way.

I realize that out of years of jealousy, this will make most of you non Americans happy, but be careful what you wish for. Because of the media bias (except for FOX), I don't think the rest of you realize how much good the U.S. does for the rest of the world or how much of U.S. taxpayer's money goes to help people outside the country.