get rid of my television

I got rid of three out of four televisions, and the one that we still own hasn’t been plugged in, actually it hasn’t even been unpacked, since we moved home to Chicago. I don’t miss it. I listen to a lot of radio, sit in my garden, watch fires in the fireplace, write, and read more. Yet, winter will come soon, so we’ve kept it for movie watching and such.

A worthy goal. I got rid of mine about three years ago and the only thing I can say about it is that the longer you stay away from TV the more you see it for what it is…a complete waste of time. Even the “good” shows pretty much blow.

For sale: 36, 27, and 20-inch television sets. None over four years old. All in perfect condition. PS2, X-Box, and television stand available as well. Reasonable offers accepted.

Implicit warnings, these pieces of technology, while having the potential to be used for good, are usually cumbersome wastes of time that only serve to make you less aware, less literate about things that matter, and pointlessly aware of things that don’t matter.

Keeping: Billie Holiday Records, Books, music, oil paintings, my ambitious and curious mind.

Please inquire within.

...I still have one television set, which we use mostly for watching DVDs and VHS cassettes. When HDTV comes we’ll still be using the television set for DVDs and VHS. So it’s not a complete abandonment of screen media. Commercial network programming has failed my family.

My television went away, not to a better place either. I wish I’d put more effort into scouring the neighbourhood for finding a “good home” for it.

I almost know what a militant ex-smoker feels. “How did I waste so much of my time watching this? Whatever possessed me to be entertained?” But giving up television was easy, because I have no time for it. I don’t know how other people make time.
I guess if one’s tastes are mainstream the programming’s not so bad. “Family Guy” was the last show I watched regularly, and FOX Network chose to cancel it, letting its DVD sales skyrocket for a few years before bringing it back. I can’t trust the networks to deliver entertainment to me, I can’t trust a concentration of eleven corporations to give me news I need. Advertisements are for products I don’t use or can’t afford. Unrealistic portrayals of Americans abound on the screen. I’d rather look at real people without the interruption of commercial advertising. I’d rather get some of my life back.

but apparently no one in my locality (Seattle) does. I tried Craiglist, and Freecycle. I suppose the “poor” or “frugal” live in some other part of the country. It’s going on Tuesday.

....it’s not easy for people, but within a couple weeks, you won’t miss it. Certainly, after a season, you will start forgetting the names of the shows.

The only things to keep in mind are:

1) The internet can also be a time waster
2) There are great TV shows that you will miss (unless you get someone to tape them for you)
3) You will lose some cultural literacy.

i must say that although i’ve gotten rid of my t.v., i still watch some of my favorite shows (arrested development, numbers, curb your enthusiasm) on dvd on the computer. the difference is i decide when i want to watch them and don’t watch commercials or ridiculous news channels. no more laying on the couch channel surfing. i’m reading more, cooking more, and relaxing more. i love not having it. i hope to never go back!

I would totally recommend this to anyone who feels like they are shackeled to a TV schedule. You’ll feel kind of weird at first, but after a week or two, you probably won’t even think about TV anymore.

1.Just unplug it
2.Put a “take me, I work” sign on it
3.Leave TV in a very conspicuous place.
4.Feel free to go about your own life now, rather than living vicariously through recycled plotlines and lame characters.

Voila! You are now TV free. Enjoy the real world. Smell some roses. Read a book. Play a flash game on the internet. If you jones for a video fix, watch some flash toons on the net.

Good luck!

My brother told me that watching TV is like living a 2nd hand life, because you are not directly participating in life. Life is being told to you by the TV. People need to go and live their lives. Do things, make friends that do things that you like to do. Talk with people about news or hobbies or work. That way we will be living “our lives”. Why let the TV tell us about life, when we are actually living out our lives? Interesting…

I also need a computer! With a projector you can play video games, watch movies, pretty much anything worth watching! Just point the projector to a blank white wall or a projector screen. No need or want for a TV ever. Ladies and Gentlemen I have told you the death of the “stupid box”