Toxic Television - Rant

[PM]

I've made anti-TV posts before, but I am now turning the thing off for good. My dh just renewed the cable, after I told him nobody was using it. His argument is that if there were a major event we would appreciate professional coverage in English - I guess so, even though neither of us can stomach CNN and BBC for more than 5 minutes (he's a TV journalist).

So yesterday I flipped on the TV because I needed some couch time (back pain). First, I slid in the DVD a friend lent me, raving about how great it is - Analyze That. Billy Crystal's at his father's funeral and begins to rant & rave and swear at him. I guess it's totally acceptable and ha ha funny to harbor terrible feelings for your parents instead of dealing with them like a mature adult. Then DeNiro says something about "having intercourse with a midget (BTW I heard that awful word twice on TV yesterday) and I made the disc pop back out in about 1.5 seconds flat.

So then I'm on CNN and there's Larry King interviewing John Walsh. I realize he dealt with an overwhelmingly painful loss, but this man has some issues that he needs to deal with. Besides plugging the death penalty to no end, he told the story of a man who had been threatening his life. The man was found and the police shot him. Mr. Walsh said, "I asked one of the cops, 'Did you have to shoot him 17 times? And the cop replied 'Well, we love you so much, and if this guy was threatening your life we damned well wanted to make sure he was dead!' I thought that was a pretty good answer, Larry!"

And then! CNN comes in with a Breaking News story about Liberia. All of a sudden Liberia merits the Breaking News interruption? Like, Liberia hasn't been in this situation for years? Did CNN ever do a breaking news story about Sierra Leone when everybody was getting their hands and feet chopped off? Ugh!

It's just so toxic for my mind and soul! It's unplugged! No more! Only a few select QUALITY films will be making onto the screen of our television.

Anyone else feel like this? Or am I really a total freak of society?

[Writermom]

I really appreciate that you voiced this, Parismaman. I, too, have a visceral reaction after watching television. Sometimes I actually feel sick to my stomach--I think since I witnessed whatever it was, I feel party to it.

We moved here two months ago and learned that we can't get proper tv reception without cable. (Does anyone remember when cable was commercial free? Now there are more commercials than the networks--thus the viewer pays twice over for the sad little program...) So, we just said no. We have no tv at all now. It took me about a week to not feel confused when I couldn't wander over and turn on CNN, and about another week to figure out another means to get some news (NPR), and now I'm thrilled with this. My three year old hasn't even asked to watch something--he seems to think that tv just isn't available here.

This will be harder to maintain in the fall during my husband's football season, or when long dark cold uncle winter rolls in...but for the time being, we are totally tv free and I LOVE IT. I shall endeavor to keep it this way.

[Astrid]

We moved at the end of May and never got cable hooked up. I have been loving it Dh tried once to get some reception with no luck and hasn't tried since. I haven't missed watching the mindless tv shows and depressing news once. Ds (4) hasn't asked to watch tv at all.

It's funny when I turn on the radio and hear a bit of news and what I missed (like we got the 2010 Olympics)

I totally agree with everything you said, you are definitely not a freak of society

[dado]

Re: Toxic Television - Rant

you are most definetely not alone. i haven't owned a television since '98.

Originally posted by ParisMaman
Anyone else feel like this? Or am I really a total freak of society?

i had the misfortune of seeing the first "Analyze" film. so sad to see such an extraordinary talent as DeNiro become an unfunny parody of himself.

CNN is the most useless collection of bubbleheaded twits in the broadcasting universe, though Faux News is certainly vying for the title.

[MFuglei]

Re: Re: Toxic Television - Rant

Originally posted by dado

CNN is the most useless collection of bubbleheaded twits in the broadcasting universe, though Faux News is certainly vying for the title.

I thought that MSNBC was vying for "most useless trash".

I'm sorry to say that we have three televisions in this house. I'm trying to cut back expenses and rid ourselves of them - and cable - in one fell swoop. . .but my hubby says NO GO.

[jannan]

thank you parismama, tv is so useless. I learned this during 9-11. over and over again the planes were shown smashing into the twin towers. since dh is out of the country with ds, the tv has been off!!!!!!!!!!!!!I feel so powerful. dd only watches it if it is on, if it is off, she doesn't ask.

[dlb]

Parismaman--

Why does it always seem to be the guys that have some justification for having the tv on? My husband is almost never home, and when he is home, if the tv is on, he is glued to it-- must be some kind of primal instinct, like it is a snake that might bite us if he takes his eyes off of it. During the sept. 11 situation, I came home to find my then 6 year old son in fetal position, with his hands over his ears, while my oblivious husband stared at the clip of the planes hitting the towers. His justification? "I've been working hard and haven't gotten to see any of this stuff." Yeah, but our very sensitive son was being traumatized.

I have also found him watching shows like "Friends" with the boys, with no thought to the content. Its like the tv erases his brain.

You a not a freak, tv is freaky. Luckily, we cant afford cable, so we are limited to the stations that out radio shack antenae picks up. Even that is bad enough.

My mother watches tv about 12 hours a day. At the start of the war in Iraq, she was trying to tell me all of these simplistic justifications for it, and whenever I would share anything more complex and against the war with her, she would tell me to beware of information on the internet. It was really frustrating, because she was spouting what sounded like tv slogans, and telling me that Fox news had "great diversity of opinion." That was so frustrating for me.

I wish I could somehow break the tv, but with five guys around here, I am working against the tide.

take care, I am so with you on this,

dlb

[PM]

Oh! My dh doesn't spend a minute in front of the TV most days. Some days he needs to watch the local programs for content and "press freedom", but that's it. I am very lucky for that.

I feel for you!

[mamabutterfly]

Re: Re: Toxic Television - Rant

Originally posted by dado


CNN is the most useless collection of bubbleheaded twits in the broadcasting universe, though Faux News is certainly vying for the title. [/B]

:LOL

[keeksmom]

Actually, you may be a freak of society, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing! We got rid of ours many years ago, and have been happy to be freaks ever since! DH and I are probably the only people in the US who never saw the footage of 9-11. I was glad not to have those images in my mind. I can't imagine any convincing justification for having TV - I mean for my family... I know most people couldn't imagine a life without. Just like if you don't have it for a while, it's hard to imagine life with.

[3 little birds]

I don't think you are freaky. I get giddy with excitement every time I think our ancient TV has finally kicked the bucket. Even though I am very selective about what the kids watch (just blues clues videos, etc) I feel that it is definately a crutch I use to keep them busy. Plus, if I'm feeling lazy, I could actually watch a full hour of Blind Date. I am so ashamed.

[padomi]

I agree. 99% of it's nauseating. However, I do still have to watch a little bit of the Food Network every day. And I still let dd watch an hour of certain cartoons on Noggin (no commercials) while I prepare dinner. (Have you noticed how violent and stupid some cartoons are on Nick or Disney?!) And I haven't seen a mainstream movie in years. Most of them are just not funny and a waste of my valuable time. We are extremely selective about when the TV is on and which things we watch. I absolutely hate it when I go to someone's house and the TV is on in the background. I think it's just so distracting and annoying and rude. My mom's bad about that. I wanna say "Read something! Listen to some beautiful music! Have a conversation!"

keeksmom - My mother actually taped the 9-11 footage as a keepsake for dd! I said "No, mom. I don't think so."

Parismaman - my dh has been saying for years that John Walsh has issues. Dh is always so annoyed at Walsh's tendancy to point in some didactic, condescending way.

[SpringRain]

I believe that TV is an addiction. (for most people) That's why you hear so many people say things like "But I just couldn't live without my (insert programs)". You don't realize it when you're doing it, and when you quit it becomes very obvious.

We have been 100% TV free since Jan. 1 2002. It took several weeks for the what should I do now feeling to wear off. It took me, a sever TV addict, months to stop wondering what was going on in the lives of my TV "friends". Now, we go out every evening after dinner for a family walk. The scary thing is, even on a nice evening, there will be no one out. It's really spooky to walk around the neighborhood, not see anyone out, and have that eerie TV glow coming out of the front window of most houses.

[isleta]

If you are a freak, then so am I! we do not have cable, but my parents do. when they watch my DS he does get some tv. However, I stand firm with not FOX NEWS allowed!! My father watches this channel at nauseum!! I actually sit and watch TV sometimes, but get bored, then outraged! I am with you about the Liberia cut in Parismaman! The last thing I watched was "The Others" at my parents house. I am unfortuately a comic lover and enjoy animation. So, we do watch DVD's and videos sometimes.

[PaMomx3]

Another freak here

I had been trying for a while to get rid of our tv, dh was not having it! Until he happened upon a 90 gallon fish tank that was for sale dirt cheap at a friend-of-a-friends house. What a perfect thing to replace the television! (We also have a 55 gallon and a 10 gallon fish tank through out the house. When our youngest was a little baby, I would stand in front of the 55 gal with him and he just loved it, the fish would actually help settle him if he was upset!)

We still have a little 13 inch in the playroom (that will be relocating to our bedroom shortly) so we can watch videos once in a while.

There has not been one time I wished we had the tv downstairs...
(It moved out in May of this year.)

[Happypants]

i'm another. it really surprises me how many people love it. i just don't get it. i hate commercials, i hate laugh tracks, i hate the mindless violence and the cheap sex. i hate the "perfect" people. and i don't like being hateful, so i avoid the television.

dh likes to watch at night, but luckily we can't afford cable right now and we don't have any reception. we haven't had cable since we've been together, so hopefully he'll be so used to it that he won't want to get it even when we can afford it! we borrow movies from the library, and enough of those are bad. dh is watching some crap right now. i usually fall asleep during the first 30 min

talking about freaks: does anyone else hear a really high-pitched buzz when a tv is on? i hear it and it makes me crazy. i can't stand in the tv department of any stores. and if the television is on but the sound is down and i'm not looking at it (like if i'm coming down the stairs and i haven't seen it yet) i can tell it's on by the sound. am i an alien??

[PM]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I'm so glad to hear that other people - especially fellow Americans - feel the way I do.

It happened again last night! I had been watching a film and the cassette popped out while I had been doing something else. I came back in to find Euronews in Russian language on the tube. I couldn't understand what was being said. They were showing a beautiful alpine lake bordered by walls of glacier. Suddenly a terrible accident occurs - I won't describe it. But I find myself literally watching and hearing the death of quite a few people. I had a terrible time falling asleep last night. It was very, very disturbing footage. I don't even know when this happened because I couldn't understand anything. Argh!

[bamboogrrrl]

ParisMaman, you are preaching to the converted! I haven't had TV in my home since I moved out from my parents' house 18 years ago. As a writer and artist, I have a lot more time to work and read without TV. We do rent films tho. A friend of mine just introduced me a fabulous journalist from the Washington Post who writes well and cruelly about the mediocrity of the medium. You can read about her at:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2086810/

If you click on her name, you can also read her actual columns. Her writing is such a relief because she actually calls it as she sees it, instead of pretending television is worth watching.

[padomi]

Yep, I didn't even know there was this major power outage in cities across America until a friend who works in NY called me. I LOVE being out of the loop! I'm not a tee-totaller - I do get recipes from the food channel every couple of days, and dd watches one or two cartoons (of my choosing) while I prepare dinner. But I couldn't tell you what's going on in the world or what everyone is watching or whatever. Several years ago, dh and I only watched PBS and then BBC America because we loved the British shows - they seemed to be a thousand times better quality than anything the US was putting out. But even British shows have gone downhill these days - we can't even watch those. But happily, I'm getting more reading done than ever before!