Another one of my anti-TV threads 'cause I'm really grumpy today -- FNLLY ANSWRD SRRY

[sohj]

As I post this, there are 13 threads out of 19 active/non-sticky threads on the first page of this Forum that are about TV or "screen time".

:


Dull, dull, dull.

[chersolly]

So people are dull because they like to watch television?

[Past_VNE]

In my world, yes.

[chersolly]

Luckily, I don't live in your world.

[meowee]

I used to be TV free and would look down on TV watchers.

Then I started having health problems and started watching a lot of TV. I am addicted to a few shows.

Having been on both sides, I am no longer judgemental about TV watchers. There is fun to be had in TV land. "Amish in the City," Enterprise," "America's Next Top Model," and "Dr. Phil" have gotten me through many a week.

[daylily]

I don't think the OP meant to be judgemental.

I don't look down on people who watch TV, but since we get just network stations and tend to watch just a couple of shows, it is tedious for me to come to this forum and see that all the new threads are about TV shows I've never seen, or in some cases, never even heard of.

My fantasy for this forum would be to see that someone had started a thread about an obscure book that I had also read recently.

[chersolly]

Originally Posted by daylily

My fantasy for this forum would be to see that someone had started a thread about an obscure book that I had also read recently.

Why not start the thread yourself? Maybe the premise of the book will pique the interest of a dull television watcher.

[djinneyah]

Originally Posted by daylily

My fantasy for this forum would be to see that someone had started a thread about an obscure book that I had also read recently.

ever read anything by shirley jackson?

[UnschoolnMa]

My family loves TV We rent movies, watch sitcoms, cartoons, and music videos. We adore Adult Swim and and The Simpsons. Books rock too of course...

[AmandasMom]

Well, if I can ever find the time to actually sit down and read any book uninterrupted, I'll let you know. Until then, it's TV for me

[MissSugarKane]

I am a single mom and since having my son have not had a moment to sit and read a book , something I used to love doing.TV keeps me company while I do dishes , fold laundry , or even while I paint clothing.It's my friend

[LisainCalifornia]

Why don't you just start threads about something else?

I don't know why I feel compelled to defend TV watching--since I only watch one hour a week (Six Feet Under which is now gone till next season--will have to wait till Curb your Enthusiasm comes back on!) but I really think it is okay for people to not only watch a little TV, but to discuss it too. You obviously don't think this is okay, and I don't know why?

I think my online time is much more mind numbing than my TV watching--and I notice you are on here quite a bit. I don't get out to the movies ever now (I have 3 kids and don't get out much) but find that there are a few quality TV shows that are just as good (if not better) than many movies today.

My grandmother (the original AP mama) who had 7 children and 16 grand children has watched The Young and The Restless for 25 years now, and loves to talk about it like she knows the characters. It gives her pleasure. You know--happiness? She also bakes her own bread, babysits, knits, goes to church every week and is the lovliest, most joyful person I know. I am glad she is very social and has a very rich life.

Nothing in life is all or nothing--there are always shades of gray. If the women here want some fluff escapism and want to talk about a show they watched, why not just ignore those threads and start another one about a movie you saw or a book you read? I love to read and find more escape in that than in TV, but it is harder to talk about that online because often people are not reading the same books as me at the same time like the way TV shows are on.

TV is a common shared experience and is not to be taken seriously--some things in life are just for fun.

Take care,
Lisa

[littleaugustbaby]

ITA with Lisa.

I'm also a single mom, and other than my parents, I don't know anybody in this town to spend time with (except for a couple of other MDC mamas now!!). The library here is literally about 1000 sq. feet -- 2 shelves of childrens books, 2 shelves of reference books, a small magazine rack, and about 4 small rows for the fiction and nonfiction books. They were supposed to link up with the other libraries in the county over the summer to do an intra-library system, but it fell through. So in other words, I don't have much of a choice when it comes to getting library books, and buying a new book to read is not an option for me right now. There's the internet, but I have really slow dial-up connection and can't usually get online until late at night so that I don't tie up the phone line. I enjoy watching TV, and I probably watch more than I should, but hey, it's an escape for me, and it's cheap entertainment. If that makes me a dull person in your book, oh well. Not much I can do about it.

[sincitymama]

It's funny, I didn't take this thread as quite so judgemental as some here. Maybe because I also don't watch tv?
For me it's like this- we had a tv and used it occasionally to rent a movie or play a video game, but after the baby we did that less and less. When he was about 8 months old we realized we'd used the tv less than 6 times since he was born! So we gave it to the soup kitchen.
Part if it is we live out in the woods a little bit so if we don't pay out hte nose for cable we get nothing. Nada. Zilch. In the city we could at least get abc for news and some sitcoms, but not out here. TV just isn't a big enough priority for us to find room in hte budget for it, we usually ask ourselves when we move somewhere new 'tv or high speed internet?' because they cost about the same, and for us it's internet every time.

Where was I going with this?

Oh yeah, so I don't watch any tv except what I might catch at someone elses home and I don't go out to movies(can't bring hte babe, don't want to leave him that long for that). So when a conversation is all about a show, or full of obscure movie references I can get a little irked because it's so hard to follow.
I guess the point is that it's not like I think I'm better at AP or NFL than anyone here. Not by a long shot! But since I don't personally watch tv, seeing a million threads about shows I've never so much as heard of can seem a little boring.
Does that make any sense? It's not a finger in the face saying 'I'm better than you!' it's more like a timid hand being raised in the back of the room and a small voice asking'please, can we discuss something I can relate to?'

[daylily]

Why not start the thread yourself? Maybe the premise of the book will pique the interest of a dull television watcher.

I've done that several times and usually get very few responses. Sometimes, I get no responses.

ever read anything by shirley jackson?

Not yet, although I probably did read "The Lottery" in high school, but can't remember much about it. But she's on my long mental list of authors to check out.

It's not a finger in the face saying 'I'm better than you!' it's more like a timid hand being raised in the back of the room and a small voice asking'please, can we discuss something I can relate to?'

Yes, exactly.

[chersolly]

Originally Posted by SarahNH

it's more like a timid hand being raised in the back of the room and a small voice asking'please, can we discuss something I can relate to?'

So we shouldn't discuss TV because you don't relate to it? I don't relate to every thread on MDC and you don't see me popping in, calling them dull, and asking for a topic change.

[annelizabeth]

Sohj
I have simlar feelings to you-
My main beef about TV is it prevents people from doing- they watch and watch but never do anything. They would rather watch hockey on tv then actually play or watch decorating shows rather then paint there own ugly walls.
I do watch a few shows we download, but i set limits.

[sincitymama]

I'm not really asking anyone to stop talking about shows they like or anything. It just seemed that posters were feeling offended, like they, personally, were being called boring. My post was just to try explaining that it's not a holier-than-thou thing, just a boring topic to some of us and why that might be the case.
Seems that I too have offended, sorry.

[chersolly]

Originally Posted by annelizabeth

My main beef about TV is it prevents people from doing-

Maybe in your case, but don't make incorrect generalizations about others.

TV may be a boring topic for some, but for others it's not. I don't go into the Ohio forum and tell the Ohioans to stop talking about Ohio because it bores me or I don't relate.

I think it's extremely rude and holier-than-thou for people to come here and post that watching television prevent people from doing things or that they're dull.

What is the reason for this thread?

[UnschoolnMa]

Hi I just wanted to point out that I wasn't trying to be snarky in my post here.. just chit chatting really. I didnt take the OP to be rude either. Those who like it should watch tv, those who don't shouldnt lol. Works for me