My No TV

http://osteele.com/archives/2008/05/my-no-tv

by comatose_kid • 18 years ago

26 13 18 years ago

rdouble• 18 years ago

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/28-not-...

kradic• 18 years ago

It's true that NoTVs seem particularly popular with white people, and that they like to brag about owning them, but I don't think the main reason for the former is the latter. Few people have enough discipline to miss something they love just so they can brag about missing it.

xlnt• 18 years ago

he probably watches 12 hours a day of torrents

PS this is not hacker news

tom_rath3• 18 years ago

Yeah, I went through a sanctimonious "Oh, I wouldn't know. You see, I don't have a television!" phase too.

I suspect I was about as annoying as those ex-smokers who can't shut up about how awesome life is without cigarettes.

axod2• 18 years ago

And the people who install adblock and think it's great to reply to a topic about advertising with "Ads? What ads? I see no adverts ;)"

axod2• 18 years ago

Having a TV doesn't actually mean you have to sit there comatose only watching it and doing nothing else.

I like a good comedy or music tv on in the background whilst working personally.

dcminter• 18 years ago

I ditched my TV but I still have a projector. That way I can watch things I really like, but it's enough of a hassle that I have to really want to.

It works well for me, anyway.

AndyKelley• 18 years ago

Just because the good (spending more time on things of value) is being clouded by bad (sanctimoniously bragging about not having a TV) doesn't mean the good doesn't exist.

m0nty3• 18 years ago

I'm surprised so many commenters are describing this as "sanctimonious" or "bragging" when all it is, is a slightly amusing way to present an idea. Take it or leave it.

I don't watch TV and the upside is: more time, more reading, more creativity. The downside is: when a friend asks "did you see ..?" and I have to explain why I didn't, then listen to his description of what it was I should have seen, then why it was incredibly funny, then pretend to get the joke when I have no idea WTF he's talking about. What I really mean is that not engaging in TV is culturally isolating sometimes, but I can live with that.

tom_rath3• 18 years ago

The essay struck me as being more condescending than helpful (and I despise TV).

If you were a regular TV watcher who had no intention of quitting, would that essay do anything other than encourage you to watch more out of spite?

m0nty3• 18 years ago

Maybe I could ask you a question here. I'm in a demographic which is probably less than 2% of the UK population. Not watching TV is not something I brag about because (generally speaking) people here seem to think it's a bit weird and different not to watch it, rather than a particular virtue.

But some of the comments in the article seem to suggest there's a section of American society which would see it as brag-worthy, and they clearly get on people's nerves.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28694

So, when you suggest the article might encourage you "to watch more out of spite", I wonder if there's a cultural thing going on here, so maybe you could confirm or deny that (assuming you're in the US). Just curious is all...

My No TV

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